CRYSTAL PALACE 0 CITY 2
Canon League 2nd Division
27th August 1983
attendance 13,382
Scorers May(20), Parlane(52)
Ref Keren Barrett
City Williams, Ranson, May, Bond, Power, Caton, McNab, Reid, Parlane, Hartford, Tolmie – sub Kinsey(unused)
Palace Wood, Locke, Gilbert, Hughton, Lacy, Cannon, Evans, Murphy, McCulloch, Cummins, Hilaire – sub Brooks(22)
At Crystal Palace we had a very good performance. They went on the attack from the start, as we expected and their skilful winger Vince Hilaire caused a bit of bother. I knew there could be an anxious time down that side of defence because I’d pressed Andy May into service at left back, an unusual role for the youngster despite his renowned versatility.
I had no qualms about giving him that chance. He’d played well for us on the tour to West Germany and Holland and would have been knocking on the first team door very early in the season. The emergency caused by the sacking of Bobby McDonald suddenly created that vacancy and injury to Ian Davies left it wide open for Andy.
Andy got a quick boost with the opening goal, his first for the club. That put him in good shape and he emerged very well from a difficult test. Remember, he’s had to compensate his play through featuring on the `wrong’ side of the field because he’s naturally right-sided. I think the youngster will spend the early stages of his career operating with great versatility and I would predict that with such experience under his belt Andy will end up as midfielder.
Once we weathered the Palace storm we were well in charge. We were composed at the back, Alex Williams only had one serious shot to handle and by half time we looked good. We did extensively use the left-hand side of the field for attacking, which left the right neglected and there’s some variation needed there.
In the second period we were more casual than I wanted. But the second goal came quickly, a terrific fillip for our newcomer, Derek Parlane, and the points were well and truly safe at that stage.
BILLY MCNEILL WRITING IN THE CITY PROGRAMME 3RD SEPTEMBER 1983