Sheffield United McAlister, Badger, Hemsley, Eddy, Colquhoun, Franks, Woodward, Garbett, Guthrie, Currie, Dearden – sub Cammack(77)

 

City had a horrendous journey across the Pennines for a match against Sheffield United. The coach was involved in a collision which, but for the skill of the driver, might have had far worse results.
On top of that, both Joe Corrigan and Dave Watson reported feeling unwell. As soon as the team reached Sheffield, manager Tony Book contacted Maine Road and had Keith Macrae and Geoff Hammond join the party right away.
Watson declared himself fit and played, but big Joe spent the afternoon in bed at an hotel suffering with ‘flu.
Macrae had his first game of the season on the ground where he had made his City debut.
Tommy Booth – as Watson had done at Tottenham – played up front and, again like Watson, scored. Then Peter Barnes produced a marvellous piece of magic. He chased a ball which had been deflected by a Sheffield defender and caught it on the bye-line. Bringing it back into the goalmouth, he slipped it past ‘keeper Tom McAlister.
But Sheffield showed their steel as you would expect and a minute later had pulled a goal back. Alan Woodward lobbed the ball over the Blues’ defence and despite Mike Doyle making a valiant attempt to clear off the line, Chris Guthrie planted a firm header past Macrae.
Dennis Tueart, Barnes and Macrae all had outstanding games in the first half, but that journey must have taken its toll. The Blades rallied and made a series of swift attacks, and now it was the turn of the City defence to show their mettle.
United equalised after 52 minutes. Watson was penalised for pushing Guthrie and the referee awarded a penalty, although the City players were adamant that the Sheffield man had backed into Dave.
Keith Eddy, in his last season with the club, leveled from the spot. It was then left to Macrae to hold the score at 2-2 with excellent saves from Woodward and Guthrie.
AN ARTICLE BY JOHN MADDOCKS FROM THE CITY PROGRAMME 4TH NOVEMBER 1995