ASTON VILLA 1 CITY 1
League Division 1
22nd January 1983
attendance 20,415
Scorers
City Hartford(44)
Villa Shaw(4)
Ref D Reeves
City Corrigan, Ranson, Caton, Reid, Bond, Tueart, Cross, Hartford, Kinsey, Power, Reeves – sub Bodak(unused)
Villa Spink, Williams, Gibson, Evans, McNaught, Mortimer, Bremner, Shaw, Withe, Cowans, Morley – sub Blair
FROM THE PRESS BOX
VINCE WRIGHT WRITING IN THE TIMES 24TH JANUARY 1983
John Bond, Manchester City’s manager, frequently criticizes the negative football of other sides, so more is the pity that his own team find it hard to win friends and influence people. They are sadly lacking in positive thinking.
City have fared badly on their travels this season and were lucky to avoid defeat at Villa Park on Saturday. They were saved not so much by Corrigan’s goalkeeping, which was excellent, but by those odd lapses of concentration to which Aston Villa are prone. Villa, a goal ahead after just four minutes and looking likely to increase their advantage, lost their way on either side of half time. That was long enough for Hartford to equalize in the 44th minute.
The goal was the result of a rare moment of City adventure. Reevesand Tueart were involved in a neat bout of passing and after Tueart’s incisive ball gave Hartford the space to move forward with purpose, Spink, Villa’s goalkeeper, was beaten by a firm left foot drive.
City were grateful to survive as Villa regained their momentum in the final 20 minutes…
… City’s most remarkable escape came after 65 minutes. Withe’s deft back heel left Shaw with the goal at his mercy, but he stunbled over the ball, allowing Corrigan to block his eventual shot, and Kevin Bond to complete the clearance.
Shaw had earlier made better use of a more difficult chance. Withe’s challenge confused City when a long throw-in by Evans landed in their penalty area and Shaw reacted quickly to score from point-blank range.
There was a fascinating midfield duel between Cowans and Hartford, but neither could upstage Corrigan who confirmed his quality with two splendid saves from Cowans in the second half. Like good wine, goalkeepers seem to improve with age.