CITY 2 AFC BOURNEMOUTH 0
League Division 2
13th February 1988
Attendance 16,161
scorers Varadi(7), Stewart(87)
Ref M Dimblebee
City Stowell, Gidman, Hinchcliffe, McNab, Lake, Redmond, White, Stewart, Varadi, Scott, Simpson – subs Clements(unused), Morley(unused)
Bournemouth Peyton, Langan, Morrell, Brooks, Williams, Whitlock, O’Driscoll, Newson, Aylott, Cooke, Close – subs Armstrong, O’Connor
PAUL STEWART SCORES CITY’S SECOND GOAL
FROM THE PRESS BOX
PAUL HINCE WRITING IN THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS FOOTBALL PINK FINAL 13TH FEBRUARY 1988
Manchester City’s transfer seeking striker Imre Varadi demonstrated his penalty box menace to his Maine Road fans against Bournemouth today.
Varadi needed two attempts to beat Bournemouth keeper Gerry Peyton after being sent through by Paul Simpson for his 12th goal of the season after only nine minutes.
The visitors, however, made the Blues fight all the way and could easily have levelled the score but for a magnificent 19th minute save from young Mike Stowell, who richly earned his half-time ovation, after an excellent display on his home debut.
… The Blues were slowly settling into their stride. Varadi had his first clear look at goal after five minutes when he was sent through by Scott, only for his shot to take a deflection off a Bournemouth defender and trickle tamely into the arms of keeper Peyton.
But there was much more venom about Varadi’s finishing as the Blues surged forward again after nine minutes to snatch the lead.
And what an amazing goal it was. Varadi was left with only Peyton to beat as raced on to a through ball from Simpson, but astonishingly blasted his shot straight at the Bournemouth keeper from point blank range.
Te ball, however, fell straight back into the path of City’s transfer seeking striker, who calmly and deliberately lobbed the ball over the stranded Peyton and into the back of the empty net.
… In the 33rd minute the Blues could, and should, have increased their lead following a typical high speed dash down the middle by the quicksilver Varadi.
The City striker played a perfectly weighted through ball to the feet of White, who showed inexperience by carelessly blasting his shot high over the bar.
Half-time: Manchester City 1, Bournemouth 0
… The Blues looked destined for their first League victory at Maine Road since November, and three minutes from time Stewart made sure as he raced on to a massive clearance from keeper Stowell to round Peyton and prod the ball over the line for his 23rd goal of the season.
