CITY 1 WATFORD 3
FA Cup 4th Round 2nd Replay
6th February 1986
attendance 27,260
Scorers
City Kinsey(81)
Watford Smillie(46), Barnes(62), Sterling(73)
City Nixon, Reid, Power, Clements, McCarthy, Phillips, Lillis, May, Davies, McNab, Simpson – sub Kinsey(76)
Watford Coton, Gibbs, Rostron, Talbot, Terry, McClelland, Sterling, Smillie, West, Jackett, Barnes – used sub Lohman
FROM THE PRESS BOX
REPORT FROM THE COVENTRY EVENING TELEGRAPH 7TH FEBRUARY 1986
Manager Graham Taylor thought that the wind and some good first-half saves from Tony Coton paved the way for Watford’s amazing win in their FA Cup second replay at Manchester City.
He said: Coton kept us in the game with those saves. If you looked at the first half you would have given us little chance of winning . I couldn’t believe we could play so badly and give the ball away so easily. After the interval it all changed. But I’m convinced it was due to the strong wind. I told my players this at half-time.” City had the same problems after the interval.
Watford took the lead in less than a minute in the second half with a goal from Smillie. Barnes got Watford’s second in the 62nd minute, and Sterling netted their third in the 73rd minute.
City manager Billy McNeill said: “I was totally embarrassed about the way we gave away that first goal. We lost the match in that 30 seconds. We lost our discipline. We were careless, and lacked concentration. I think our ‘keeper lost concentration. In fact we gave them three goals rather than lost them.”