CITY 2 STOKE CITY 0

League Cup 2nd Round 1st Leg

7th October 1981

attendance 23,146

Scorers Smith(16 og) Hartford(82)

ref George Tyson

City Corrigan. Ranson, Wilson, Reid, Bond, Caton, Tueart, O’Neill, Hartford, Hutchison, Reeves – sub Boyer(unused)

Stoke Fox, Evans, Hampton, Dodd, O’Callaghan, Smith, Ursem, Heath, Chapman, Bracewell, Maguire – sub Bould(unused)

In an entertaining League Cup tie Asa Hartford made his second debut for City after his £350k move from Everton, youngster, Clive Wilson also made his debut in defence. Stoke played well, however it was John Bond’s side that made the most of the chances and just after the quarter hour mark, TherPotter’s Smith, inexplicably headed passed his own keeper from a Kevin Reeves cross.

In the second half Dennis Tueart should have made it 2-0, first he latched onto a back pass from O’Callaghan but th Stoke custodian, Fox took the ball from the City striker. Then just after the hour mark, Tueart was brought down in the box, however his spot kick was well saved by Fox.

It fell to Hartford to score the second goal with less than ten minutes left, he played a one, two with Martin O’Neill, before rounding Fox to tap into Stoke’s net.