CITY 1 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1
League Division 1
26th August 1989
Attendance 32,004
Scorers
City White(28)
Spurs Gascoigne(38)
Ref John Deakin
City Cooper, Fleming, Hinchcliffe, Bishop, Gayle, Redmond, White, Allen, Morley, McNab, Lake – Subs Gleghorn(unused), Oldfield(unused)
Spurs Thorstvedt, Butters, Stevens, Fenwick, Howells, Mabbutt, Sedgley, Gascoigne, Stewart, Lineker, Allen – Subs Samways(75), Walsh(80)
DAVID WHITE SQUEEZES IN HIS HEADER TO PUT CITY 1-0 UP
The pre-match talk was all about the two strikers who made their name for the opposition club, and returned against them today. Clive Allen The ex-Tottenham striker who now graced the Sky Blue at Maine Road, and Paul Stewart who had a short, but fruitful time at City and was now playing up front for Spurs with Gary Lineker.
Andy Dibble missed the game due to injury, with the reliable Paul Cooper taking his place between the sticks. Also recent signing Gary Fleming made his first League start, enabling Paul Lake to push into Midfield.
Both sides came into the match having lost 2-1 in their last matches
It was City who made the early Pace, and from a clever, low David White cross Trevor Morley agonisingly saw his shot go inches wide of the post, when he really should have hit the target.
Then from a great pass from Neil McNab in his own half, Paul Lake broke free and stretching to get his shot away he saw his shot go as close, but again, wide of the same post.
City had so far dominated the match, and on the half hour they scored the goal they deserved; from a corner won by David White, Andy Hinchcliffe swung in a deep flag kick, and White rose at the far post and his close in header sneaked just inside the near post to give City a 1-0 lead.
The Blues were unlucky to go two up a few minutes later, when, from a 25-yard free kick, Neil McNab touched the ball to Ian Bishop, who hit a tremendous shot, which cracked against the bar and David White couldn’t get the rebound On Target.
So far Spurs hadn’t really troubled the City defence, but with just seven minutes to go before the half-time whistle, Terry Fenwick hit a lovely pass behind the Blues’ defence finding Paul Gascoigne who tucked the ball in from six yards to make it 1-1 at the break.
The second half lacked real chances with both defences looking superior to their offensive opposition. Tottenham will, I’m sure, have travelled back to London knowing they were lucky to come away with a share of the points.
