ASTON VILLA 2 CITY 2
League Division 1
27th February 1980
attendance 29,139
scorers
City Robinson(60), Power(79)
Villa Shaw(41), Donachie(84 og)
Ref S Bates
City Corrigan, Ranson, Donachie, Reid, Caton, Booth, Henry, Power, Robinson, Daley, Bennett – sub Palmer(unused)
Villa Rimmer, Swain, Gibson,Evans, McNaught, Mortimer, Morley, Little, Bremner, Cowans, Shaw – sub ???
FROM AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN THE CITY PROGRAMME 17TH JANUARY 1981
An own goal by Willie Donachie six minutes from time prevented the Blues ending a run of 10 matches without a win, but full marks were earned for a gutsy display. Shaw and the own goal were the body blows from Villa while a Mike Robinson penalty and Paul Power effort provided City with goals.
Cowans and Morley created space on the left from which Shaw profited to open the scoring with a dipping 25-yard shot, which some critics believed to be mishit as it caught a surprised Joe Corrigan off his line. A blatant handling offence by Evans, leaping with Tommy Caton to a Power corner kick, brought the penalty from which Robinson equalised. Dave Bennett supplied the pass for the next City goal, beating his man cleverly on the right and pulling the ball back for Power to score from close-range. But the disaster for City came when Donachie went up with Evans to meet a Mortimer corner and under pressure from the jumping Villa defender headed an own goal.
Donachie attempted to make amends by boring his way into attack immediately after but he screwed his shot wide with only Rimmer to beat.
Joe Corrigan made more superb saves in the opening period when Villa had charge and it was a grim struggle against speedy raiders, though Caton was in immense form again.
The equaliser inspired City who had a high work-rate from Steve Daley and flashes of great guile from Bennett. Yet they lacked up front where the attack never put sufficient pressure on the home goal.
Power was booked leaving the City skipper with mixed feelings about the night.