CITY 3 BLACKBURN ROVERS 2
FA Premier League
30th January 1993
attendance 29,122
scorers
City Sheron(33), Curle(74 pen), White(78)
Blackburn Newell(4), Phelan(14 og)
Ref M Peck
City Coton, Ranson, Phelan, McMahon, Curle, Vonk, White, Sheron, Quinn, Simpson, Holden – subs Ingebrigtsen(45), Reid(unused), Margetson(unused)
Blackburn Mimms, Marker, Dobson, Sherwood, Hendry, Moran, Andersson, Atkins, Wegerle, Newell, Wilcox – subs Ireland(81), Cowans(unused), Collier(unused)
MIKE SHERON SCORES CITY’S FIRST AND KIETH CURLE SCORES THE SECOND FROM THE PENALTY SPOT
MATCH REPORT USING MATCH REPORTS FROM DAILY MIRROR, THE GUARDIAN, IRELAND’S SATURDAY NIGHT AND THE OBSERVER
Manchester City produced one of their most dramatic comebacks of the season at Maine Road, overturning a two‑goal deficit to beat Blackburn Rovers 3–2 in a match that veered from calamity to exhilaration. The result lifted City back into the top six and deepened Blackburn’s frustrations after a bruising week.
Blackburn began with purpose and were ahead inside four minutes. Jason Wilcox was fouled by Michael Vonk, and Tim Sherwood took the free‑kick quickly, catching City unprepared. Mike Newell rose unchallenged to head past Tony Coton.
City’s defending unravelled again on 15 minutes. Sherwood released Wilcox down the left, and his low cross caused panic. Terry Phelan stretched to cut it out but only succeeded in diverting the ball into his own net.
At 0–2, Maine Road braced for another miserable home afternoon. Blackburn, missing Shearer, Ripley, Wright and May, still looked sharp and could easily have put the game beyond reach.
City’s response was built on persistence and the driving influence of Steve McMahon. Just before half‑time, the referee waved play on after a foul in the build‑up, allowing Rick Holden to deliver a pinpoint cross that Mike Sheron headed in at the far post.
The goal transformed the mood. City, previously ragged, now pressed with conviction, while Blackburn continued to threaten on the break through Wilcox and Sherwood.
The second half was frantic, with both sides trading chances. City introduced Kaare Ingebrigtsen, while Blackburn handed a full debut to Patrik Andersson.
DAVID WHITE CELEBRATES MAKING IT THREE
The equaliser arrived with 18 minutes left, but not without dispute. Mike Sheron darted towards the box and was tripped by Kevin Moran. Television replays later showed the foul was inches outside the area, but the referee pointed to the spot. Keith Curle hammered the penalty home.
City sensed victory and pushed forward relentlessly. The decisive moment came on 77 minutes when David White cut inside from the right and unleashed a rising left‑foot strike from around 25–30 yards. The shot took a slight deflection off Sherwood, wrong‑footing Bobby Mimms and sending Maine Road into rapture.
Blackburn mounted a final surge, and in the dying seconds Sherwood met a cross with a diving header that seemed destined for the corner. Tony Coton twisted acrobatically in mid‑air to claw it out, injuring his back in the process. He later admitted he faced a sleepless night from the spasm, but insisted he would be fit for the following week.
The game had everything: defensive lapses, fierce midfield battles, contentious decisions, and moments of genuine brilliance. McMahon’s booking—his second suspension-triggering caution of the season—was a sour note for City, ruling him out of their upcoming FA Cup tie with Barnsley.
For Blackburn, it was another painful collapse after leading, and Kenny Dalglish left feeling aggrieved at the refereeing. But even he would have struggled to deny City’s spirit or the quality of their winning goal.
