Entertainment was the name of the game on a pleasant September evening, with the City teams from Manchester and Stoke giving the appreciative crowd plenty to remember.
Both sides adopted an attacking policy and Joe Corrigan was forced into making a fine save in the opening moments from Sean Haslegrave. Alan Hudson and Welsh international John Mahoney both shone for the visitors in midfield, whilst Asa Hartford and Dennis Tueart worked tremendously hard for the Blues throughout the 90 minutes.
Stoke’s young striker. Ian Moores, gave Dave Watson a torrid evening, three times turning the defender and leaving him stranded, but the lad from the Potteries was guilty of a bad error early in the second half, when he intercepted a Kenny Clements back pass and managed to miss the target.
Joe Royle had hard luck as he saw his flick-shot hit a post and later he put a fairly easy chance over the bar. But Rodney Marsh became the hero of the night when he notched the only goal of the game.
The Blues were awarded a free kick following which Tueart fired in a typical piledriver. Peter Shilton was only able to parry it as far as Rodney, who calmly slotted home.
The Stoke defence then had to close ranks to give Shilton some protection as he carried on after hurting a shoulder when colliding with colleague Alan Dodd.
Hudson, a £240,000 signing from Chelsea two years earlier, almost salvaged a point for the Potters, but his direct free kick hit a post and rebounded to safety.
ADAPTED FROM AN ARTICLE IN THE CITY PROGRAMME 23RD SEPTEMBER 1995