CITY 1 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 0
League Division 1
26th December 1986
Attendance 30,193
Scorer Simpson(42)
Ref J Lovatt
City Suckling, Gidman, Wilson, Clements, N Reid, Redmond, White, McNab, Varadi, Moulden, Simpson – sub I Brightwell(unused)
Wednesday Hodge, Snodin, Hart, Worthington, Morris, Madden, Shelton, Jonsson, Megson, Shutt, Chapman – used sub Hirst
FROM THE PRESS BOX
PETER GARDNER WRITING IN THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS FOOTBALL PINK FINAL 27TH DECEMBER 1986
A touch of class from champagne Perry Suckling inspired Manchester City to a famous victory.
His breathtaking last-gasp double save from Siggi Johnson and Carl Shutt enabled the Blues to survive a searching examination at the hands of one of English soccer’s most difficult sides to beat.
A 1-0 Maine Road victory yesterday was the deserved reward for a gritty 90 minute stint in which City soared to their highest League placing in three desperate months.
The urgent need now is for that same commitment to be carried through into demanding away tests, at Charlton tomorrow and Watford on New Year’s Day.
A continuation of the current three match revival campaign in the south would surely confirm City’s emergence as a team with a First Division future.
City were put under enormous pressure shielding the 42 minute lead Paul Simpson had given them with a free kick.
Without virus victim Mick McCarthy, the Blues defence rose to the occasion with Nicky Reid and Kenny Clements the heroes and full backs John Gidman and Clive Wilson almost as impressive.
This success would hae been impossible without that late act of defiance by Suckling who, despite lapses earlier this season is, I feel, destained to become the latest in a long line ofdistinguished City goalkeepers.
Paul Hart cleared off the line to provide Wednesday with their closest call.