ASKIM IF. 1 CITY 2
Friendly
25th July 1989
attendance
scorers
City Morley(8), Allen(90)
Askim Haggen(80)
City Cooper, Seagraves, Hinchcliffe, Megson, Gayle, Taggart, White, Biggins, Morley, McNab, Gleghorn – second half subs Dibble, Redmond, Brightwell, Deehan, Lake, Bishop, Allen, Oldfield
FROM THE PRESS BOX
PETER GARDNER WRITING IN THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 26TH JULY 1989/90
Manchester City’s big-money buys are already looking sound Investments.
New £1M striker Clive Allen scored a last gasp winner on his debut as the Blues started the pre-season buildup with a victory against Norwegian Third Division part-timers Askim last night.
And Ian Bishop, a £72,000 pound pocket battleship midfield motivator, revealed the flair and ability that can establish him as a Maine Road favourite, when City return to the First Division next month.
Both summer signings emerged as second-half substitutes in the first of six games in which manager Mel Machin utilised his entire squad of 19 players, including coach John Deehan, recovered from a knee problem that sidelined him for a year.
Said Machin: “This was an ideal start for us and the overall performance was one in which everyone worked hard. It was all the more pleasing considering this was only our fourth full day back in training, following the summer break. Allen’s goal was typical of the instinctive striker he clearly is. He had already made his run to take him into a position from which to score well before the final ball was played in from the left. So far as Bishop is concerned, he is a more exciting type of player, who possesses two good feet and an excellent ability to pass the ball very accurately.”
Bishops arrival after the break was certainly explosive. With virtually his first touch he took on and beat two defenders before finishing with a clinical shot that was well saved by the goalkeeper.
David Oldfield, a further second half substitute, could have had a hat-trick as City strived to build on Trevor Morley’s eighth minute lead. He put the Blues ahead from a left-flanking cross by Neil McNab, who was skipper for the night and was again at the hub of all City’s attacking efforts.
Askim, disciplined and well organised, scored an 85th minute equaliser when Andy Dibble failed to hold a Lars Jorgen Rood shot, and Runar Heggen followed up to tap in from close range.
But City came back strongly and Ian Brightwell’s long cross beyond the far post was driven back into the middle by Nigel Gleghorn For Allen to score.
Said Alan: “It’s always nice for a striker to score on his debut, and that goal gave me a lot of satisfaction. I sincerely hope there are many more from where that came from.”