CITY 2 NOTTS COUNTY 0
Barclays League Division 1
25th April 1992
Attendance 23,426
Scorers Simpson(33), Quinn(57)
Ref John Key
City Coton, Hill, I Brightwell, Simpson, Curle, Vonk, White, Quinn, Sheron, Mike, McMahon – Redmond(unused), Hughes(unused)
Notts County Cherry, Palmer, Dryden, Lund, Johnson. Draper, Williams, Harding, Agana, Bartlett, Wilson- used Subs Cox(79), Matthews(55)
FROM THE PRESS BOX
DEREK WALLIS WRITING IN THE OBSERVER 26TH APRIL 1992
The door that opened welcoming Notts County to the First Division a year ago, slammed shut in their faces with a defeat that condemns them to relegation.
The truth is that County were seldom up to standard either in financial or playing resources.
Their return from whence they came is a warning to clubs who attempt to scale a mountain without proper equipment, despite having an admirable Sherpa in Neil Warnock, who may now seek somewhere less hazardous to use his management skills.
So indifferent was the play in the opening half hour that it was difficult to tell which team was perilously placed. The demolition of the Platt Lane stand revealed the flight path to Ringway Airport, which might at least have been a distraction for any aircraft spotters present.
County began optimistically enough without having the clout to make it pay, while City were short of creative skills in midfield until Simpson and McMahon made their presence felt.
But City’s finishing left much to be desired. even though McMahon showed them how with a fierce 20-yard drive that passed so close to the goal’s framework that he held his head in disbelief.
As the half progressed City became more sure of themselves, producing a goal after 33 minutes that was completely out of context with all that had gone before. Simpson started and finished the move which developed via Quinn. Simpson met the ball with a low shot from the edge of the penalty area That left Cherry diving in vain.
It was a goal to savour and so was City’s second after 57 minutes, as they at last pieced together something resembling the performances that have produced a season of some satisfaction.
White sped into the path of McMahon’s pass, accelerated to give himself room for a cross and struck it so expertly that Quinn needed to do no more than stoop at the near post to head the ball over the line.
County had little more to offer than dogged determination, which perhaps summed up a season in which they have been mostly out of their depth.
Their only serious chance was nearly an hour in the making With Matthew’s striking a Splendid shot that skimmed a post.
As this was City’s last home game, the team acknowledged the crowd at the end with a lap of the pitch while County were left to reflect on a season of toil that had no reward at its end.