Manchester City v Brighton 1983/84

CITY 4 BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION 0

Canon League Second Division

12th November 1983

attendance 24,562

Scorers Parlane(42), Baker(15 & 62), Tolmie(36)

Ref Peter Willis

City Williams, Ranson, Wilson, Reid, Power, Caton, McNab, May, Parlane, Baker, Tolmie – sub Walsh(unused)

Brighton Corrigan, Ramsey, Pearce, Case, Gatting, O’Reagan, A Young, Howlett, Grealish, Connor, Ryan – sub Smith(78)

FROM THE PRESS BOX

DEREK HODGSON WRITING IN THE OBSERVER 13TH NOVEMBER 1983
Brighton, or to be more precise their goalkeeper, appeared to a standing ovation. The warmth of the welcome on this dour, grey winter afternoon helped disguise the sinister fact that undemeath the red carpet was a man-trap. And Brighton, a cardboard cut-out of the side that marched so bravely out for the Cup Final a few months ago, duly fell in and were buried.
It is only months, too, since the mighty Corrigan was the bulwark of Maine Road. He could have wished for a happier return than to have three well-worked goals put past him before half-time, and seen a fourth rule fractionally off side.
Billy McNeill’s flow of Rangers’ stories may begin to dry up a little now that there is a new emperor installed at Ibrox, but if
he can continue to regale half of Manchester with his bargain-buys policy that brought Tolmie, McNab and Parlane to Moss Side, then his likeness could be appearing among Albert Square’s festive lights next Christmas.
For this was very much a Scottish triumph. McNab’s short chip enabled Baker to score from inside 12 yards for the first goal in the fifteenth minutes; 26 minutes later McNab’s long ball dropped beautifully on the halfway lines for Tolmie to beat the square advance defence and streak away and lob over Corrigan.
Tolmie, and Brighton, though he had scored again a minute later before McNab, cutting in from the corner, found Parlane clear in front of Corrigan for the third. It was Parlane’s 100th goal in the Scottish and English leagues.
Grealish, who was booked, and Case who was lectured, laboured hard but Connor and Young, up front, were too slow. Brighton’s
defenders found it impossible to locate McNab and Baker, or pin down Tolmie.
Ciry’s fourth was credited to Baker although it was Caton’s clumb to the corner kick and header that torced it past Corrigan. Smith replaced Ryan for the last 10 minutes, but it was a cosmetic change and it was Corrigan with two late saves who won the final cheers. ln an early rush of seasonal spirit, Kippax Street was in full song: ‘ We love you, City,’ and a party invitation is surely on its way to Jock Stein.