QUEENS PARK RANGERS 0 CITY 0
League Division 1
19th October 1985
Attendance 13,471
Ref R Gifford
City Nixon, Reid, May, McCarthy, Johnson, Phillips, Lillis, Baker, Davies, McNab, Power – sub Melrose(unused)
QPR Barron, McDonald, Dawes, Waddock, Wicks Fenwick, Kerslake, Fillery, Bannister, Rosenior, Gregory – sub Byrne(70)
FROM THE PRESS BOX
PETER GARDNER WRITING IN THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 21ST OCTOBER 1985
Billy McNeill unveiled his mean machine that powered Manchester City to the season’s first clean sheet.
The Blues’ booss vowed to adopt a more containing approach following a string of six defeats in the previous seven games.
McNeill also promised it wouldn’t be pretty to watch, and by golly he was right!
In terms of footballing entertainment it was total garbage.
In terms of an outstanding result and performance it was brilliant.
Such is City’s perilous position near the foot of the table that we shall doubtless have to endure a few more action replays of the backs-to-the-wall battle that saw the team gloriously hang on for a point against Queens Park Rangers.
They even defied the Loftus Road artificial surface to survive where Everton and Liverpool recently failed.
In those circumstances it has got to be a case of carry on where you left off when the champions come to Maine Road on Saturday.
Even Rangers’ boss Jim Smith complimented City, saying: “It was the poorest we have played all season although that would be taking too much away from City. They defended extremely well and worked hard for each other throughout a far from attractive game.”
Inevitably it was at the back where all City’s heroes emerged.
Mick McCarthy had his most outstanding game of the season with Nigel Johnson not far behind in a new central defensive partnership that smacked of authority and total command.
Nicky Reid’s first League outing of the campaign saw him emerge with credit at right back and Eric Nixon handled competently in a game where he was very much on trial.
On Saturday his most outstanding contribution was a superb first minute reflex action save from a Leroy Rosenior header powered in at point-blank range.
It was the game’s one real scoring chance, although Mark Lillis did have the ball in the net for the Blues.
A linesman’s flag wiped that out, however, with Andy May pulled up for offside as he provided the vital cross after taking a a return pass from Graham Baker.