Sheffield United v Manchester City 1990/91

SHEFFIELD UNITED 1 CITY 1

League Division 1

8th September 1990

attendance 21,895

Scorers
City White(52)
Sheffield United Deane(62)

Ref C Trussell

City Coton, Brightwell, Pointon, Reid, Hendry, Redmond, White, Harper, Ward, Quinn, Heath – Subs Allen(85), Brennan(unused)

Sheffield United Kite, Pemberton, Barnes, Booker, Morris, Hill, Ward, Beesley, Rostron, Deane, Bryson – Subs Gannon, Wood

DAVID WHITE CELEBRATES HIS POINT SAVING GOAL

FROM THE PRESS BOX

PETER GARDNER WRITING IN THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS FOOTBALL PINK FINAL
David White’s first goal of the season gave Manchester City and deserved 52nd minute lead at Bramall Lane.
But Sheffield United, seeking their first victory on their First Division return, bounced back for Brian Dean to equalise with 63rd minute header.
Yet the Blues could have been firmly in the driving seat had not Alan Harper and Adrian Heath carelessly squandered first half chances within the space of five minutes
Equally inexplicable as those misses was manager Howard Kendall’s. controversial decision to recall £1M goalkeeper Tony Coton in place of Andy Dibble, the Welsh international who gave a storming man of the match display in the midweek defeat of Aston Villa.
The Blues quickly found themselves up against it When Harper mistimed a clearance, Beesley pounced on the error to finish with a shot which provided early action for Coton.

… Reid and Heath traded passes and Pointon joined in the triangular move, although he, too, provided a disappointing final ball which was tidied up by Morris. Another City clanger at the back provided a further opportunity for the Blades who were looking for the first win on their return to the First Division after a 14-year absence.
Brightwell mistimed his clearance and the ball went ominously across the face of the City penalty area where Rostron came through powerfully only to finish with a fast-rising shot that cleared the crossbar.
White was having plenty of possession, although again Barnes had the better of his man squeezing the ball back for Kite to clear.
Reid, as usual, was striving to bring some semblance of organisation and order to the City midfield, although even his Long ball was too strong for Heath and the Blades once more counter-punched for Deane to have the game’s best chance so far, a half hit shot straight at Coton.
White was trapped offside when Brightwell drove the ball through, as was Quinn later on when City strived to step up a gear. But it was Deane who provided the first genuine touch of inspiration as he squeezed between Brightwell and Hendry leaving the City defenders trailing in his wake, although his only reward was a corner at Redmond’s expense.
Pointon exploding purposefully from the back and traded passes Intelligently with Heath. But then the Blues left back spoiled a promising move by driving his final pass too far forward and Kite sprinted from his line to clear confidently.
But five minutes from half-time City should have taken the lead, White’s damaging run on the right stretched the Blades, Heath dummied over the low cross, and although Harper hesitated before applying the finishing touch, his shot deceived Kite only for the ball to trickle agonisingly back off the foot of the post. Almost on the stroke of half-time City inexplicably missed another guilt edged chance that could have put them firmly in the driving seat. Brightwell drove the ball in low from the right, but Heath powered his shot wastefully over from an excellent goal front position.
Why also continued to frustrate with his poor final delivery and, when set up by Heath, saw another attempt cleared at that the expense of a corner, this time by Hill.

Ward then crossed from the left with White’s far post header easily dealt with by Kite.
But if White had so far been something of a villain, the lanky City number seven became the 52nd minute hero when he shot the Blues Into the lead after a splendid buildup. The ball flowed from Harper to Ward, Heath supplied the low cross and White thundered through to beat Kite with a clinically struck low drive on the run. But City’s celebrations were short-lived as the Blades bounced back to equalise in the 63rd minute from a Deane header.