WEST HAM UNITED 1 CITY 1
League Division 1
2nd February 1982
attendance 26,552
Scorers
City Bond(72 pen)
West Ham Bonds(82)
Ref Allan Gunn
City Corrigan, Ranson, McDonald, Ryan, Bond, Caton, Kinsey, Reeves, Francis, Hartford, Power – used sub Hareide(68)
West Ham Parkes, Stewart, Martin, Orr, Brush, Pike, Brooking, Bonds, Goddard, Cross, Van der Elst – used sub Pearson(80)
Manchester City’s aspirations of another view from the summit of English football, were foiled at Upton Park last night. Victory would have continued the entertaining game of musical chairs at the top of the first division.
So Southampton maintain their narrow advantage and with four of their next six matches at the Dell, Lawrie McMenemy’s expressive side have the chance to consolidate their lead over football’s elite.
Yet late in last night’s match before 25,600 chilled customers City seemed to have done enough to rise to the top. A penalty by Kevin Bond, the family name very much a part of Western folk-Iore in the late ’50s and early ’60s, put City ahead with just 18 minutes remaining, Orr’s tackle, clumsy more than malicious sent Francis tumbling in the area and Bond beat Parkes.
But if City, who had looked the more articulate of the two sides in the first-half cherished hopes of the leadership, they were to be dashed within a mere seven minutes by the inspiration of West Ham’s Bonds. But it was entirely appropriate that when Goddard stumbled over the ball in a goalmouth skirmish 11 mins from the end, Bonds should be there to lash the ball past Corrigan with the venom and fury he had shown throughout the match.
There is a new cutting edge to West Ham’s play. Last night for example the Londoners found City’s intelligent play more creative than their own, for much of the first hour. Yet West Ham stuck bravely to their task, weakened as they were by Devonshire’s absence.
West Ham rely heavily on the qualities Bonds has made famous during more than a decade at Upton Park. Now moved out to the right of midfield to accommodate young Orr alongside Martin at the back, Bonds found time to compete, create, defend, and attack.
After the interval the game settled to a more predictable pattern. Corrigan made the best save of the game just after an hour, alertly turning aside Cross’s volley, inevitably from a cross supplied by the irrepressible Bonds, whose retaliation after Manchester’s goal was both immediate and decisive.
PETER BILLS WRITING IN THE TIMES 3RD FEBRUARY 1982