CITY 2 STOKE CITY 1
League Division 2
27th March 1989
attendance 28,303
Scorers
City Oldfield(23), Hinchcliffe(54 pen)
Stoke Butler(82)
Ref T Holbrook
City Cooper, Megson, Hinchcliffe, Gayle, Lake, Redmond, White, Moulden, Morley, McNab, Oldfield – subs Gleghorn(86), Bradshaw(unused)
Stoke Barrett, Butler, Carr, Kamara, Higgins, Berry, Hackett, Beeston, Bamber, Shaw, Beagrie – subs Henry(30), Saunders(58)
DAVID OLDFIELD OPENS THE SCORING
FROM THE PRESS BOX
PETER HEWITT WRITING IN THE STAFFORDSHIRE SENTINEL 28TH MARCH 1989
Perhaps it was the site of Peter Beagrie limping out of the fray 20 minutes from the end that finally stirred, stoke City into spirited action at Maine Road yesterday.
Stoke had seen to accept a lost cause when they remaining 10 men produced an aggression and determination that almost turned the tables in a stirring, but belated recovery.
Instead of feeling sorry for themselves and allowing themselves to be intimidated by some physical challenges the Stoke side created more challenges and caused more panic than they had done in the previous 17 minutes.
Debut Keeper Cooper darted out to foil Saunders and then watched with relief as Kamara slid too hurriedly into a shot near the post.
There were just eight minutes left when Butler going up for Hackett’s left wing corner, rose to angle a superb header for his first goal since joining Stoke.
Carr almost made it a double scoring act for the full back men, but had the wind knocked out of him when Cooper crashed into the left back as he was about to shoot and Stoke’s rally had come a shade late.
It was only after the game that the Stoke Camp revealed the full extent of their misfortune pointing out that Manchester’s vital 54th minute penalty should have been a goal kick,
Moulden’s curling cross from the right had swung over the bar before swirling back into play to the far post where White was brought down by Carr’s desperate lunge. Hinchcliffe hammered home from the spot kick to seemingly place the game out of Stoke’s reach with Manchester’s. second goal.
Manager Mick Mills was unhappy at a mere yellow card being shown to Hinchcliffe after his deliberate tackle from behind led to Beagrie’s departure with damaged knee ligaments.
Hinchcliffe had missed his first his first intended tackle and then blatantly tripped Beagrie With his follow-up attempt. White then gave Hackett similar treatment.
Stoke found the game going against them in the 23rd minute. Manchester went straight down to win a free kick that Megson played quickly to Moulden, who turned Carr on the bye-line and Oldfield swept home from six yards.
Beeston’s injury log continued when he came off after 30 minutes after wrenching a thigh muscle.
There is no room for respect in football. Manchester, learning from their Boxing Day lessons, set out to tackle Beagrie out of things and provoke Kamara into getting himself booked.
