CITY 2 SHEFFIELD UNITED 0

Canon League Division 2

20th April 1985

attendance 21,132

Scorers Tolmie(75) Clements(76)

Ref C Seel

City Williams, Reid, May, Clements, McCarthy, Phillips, Simpson, Power, Melrose, Tolmie, Kinsey – sub McNab(48)

Sheffield United Burridge, McGeeney, Eckhardt, Heffernan, Stancliffe, West, Arnott, Cockerill, Philliskirk, Black, Bolton – sub Peattie

FROM THE PRESS BOX

PETER GARDNER WRITING IN THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 22ND APRIL 1985
Manchester City have survived another crisis to keep the promotion flame flickering.
Their first victory in seven games provided a platform for a final flurry that could still smooth the path for a First Division return.
… If the Blues persist in scratching and fiddling in the manner of Saturday’s agonising display against Sheffield United, they can forget any hopes of success this season.
It was both pathetic and passionless, with the entire colourless affair encapsulated in a 60 second explosion when both goals in the 2-0 win were scored.
Until the 75th minute, there was an acute air of depression which even got through to the fans, who rightly booed the team off at half-time.
City supporters have been both stubbornly loyal and fiercely dedicated to the club in the two years since relegation.
That they for once truly vented their feelings was for no other reason than they have become frustrated and angry at the team continually throwing away the initiative in one of the worst Second Division seasons on record.
The standard of the entire section remains second rate, to say the least, with no team, perhaps Oxford apart, possessing any pedigree or true potential.
City’s latest performance was yet another appalling display of incompetence by totally ill-equipped players, many of whom have no First Division future should the club get there.
WThe game was a catalogue of irratating and elementary mistakes by both sides, with the outcome a seeming certain scoreless bore until Jim Tlmie broke the deadlock with a mis-hit shot that seemed to sum up the futility of the entire 90 minutes.
Tolmie, last terms second top marksman has had a disastrous season this time, with injuries sidelining him for much of the time..
Now he has the chance to rekindle the affection he established with City supporters at the outset of his Maine Road career some 18 months ago by providing the goal-scoring flair and attacking inspiration so sadly lacking.
Further injuries to Jim Melrose and Neil McNab did not help the cause, but boosted by the enthusiasm and determination of Nicky Reid and Andy May City eventually finished the better of two dreadful teams.