ASTON VILLA 1 CITY 1
League Division 2
31st August 1987
attendance 16,282
scorers
City Scott(61)
Villa Gage(40)
Ref A Buksh
City Nixon, Gidman, Hinchcliffe, Clements, I Brightwell, Redmond, White, Stewart, Adcock, Scott, McNab – subs Simpson(unused), Lake(unused)
Villa Spink, Gage, Gallacher, D Hunt, Sims, Keown, Burke, Aspinall, Stainrod, S Hunt, Walters
FROM THE PRESS BOX
STEPHEN BIERLEY WRITING IN THE GUARDIAN 1ST SEPTEMBER 1987
Graham Taylor’s public thoughts that it will take four years to knock Aston Villa into shape have left the club’s supporters more than a touch bewildered. They are, after all, quite keen to see a decent side in 1987 rather than 1991. Maine Road fans just want to see a
decent side.
For the time being at least Mel Machin looks to have the better material to mould. One or two of Villa’s old hands are plain mouldy, and will be moving on.
Yesterday afternoons draw left Villa without a win in their first four matches, while City are undefeated. Not too much significance should he read into either statistic.
By the close City looked far the better organised side alhough Nixon’s total lack of conviction whenever the ball was crossed caused serious problems. Indeed it was the goalkeepers inability to catch that saw City fall behind in the first half.
Villa won four successive corners, the first three being struck by Walters deep into the area. Nixon might have clasped at least two of them but instead swatted at them as if they were wasps. around a jam sandwich. Corner No 4 was slipped diagonally to their new full-back Kevin Gage. who struck a marvellous long range goal.
Walters always looked capable of producing something a little special and Nixon did well to touch over a fierce right-foot shot after the Villa winger had picked up a long throw from Spink. It was direct. simple and no doubt to Taylor’s liking. Little else could have been.
City continued to work the ball carefully through midfield in an attempt to set up Stewart and Adcock. They were rewarded when Stewart suddenly slipped the ball through the hoop of Sims‘s legs and moved in for the shot. Keown stretched to block but Scott darted into equalise.
With City’s midfield beavering away assiduously and White making the occasional muscular run down the right, there seemed every possibility of the cub’s first away win since January 18, 1986. But as the final 10 minutes arrived the old City jitters began.
Clements was badly caught and only quick thinking by Gidman saved his fellow defender. Then Redmond put over his own bar without knowing too much about the cross. Nixon’s uncertainty compounded the problems, and Hinchcliffe headed of the line from
Stainrod, All close calls, but Villa could not feel aggrieved they had not won. City may have.