CITY 3 CARDIFF CITY 1
FA Cup 3rd Round
2nd January 1981
attendance 31,547
scorers
City Francis(22 & 70), McDonald(44)
Cardiff Maddy(39)
Ref Brian Hall
City Corrigan, Ranson, McDonald, Reid, Caton, Gow, Reeves, Francis, Hartford, Hutchison – sub Kinsey(unused)
Cardiff Healey, Grapes, Dwyer, Maddy, Pontin, G Bennett, D Bennett, Micallef, Stevens, Hughes, Lewis – sub Sugrue(60)
TREVOR FRANCIS SCORES HIS SECOND GOAL OF THE GAME
FROM THE PRESS BOX
PETER GARDNER WRITING IN THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 4TH JANUARY 1982
A pre-Christmas public ticking off from the boss has worked wonders for Kevin Reeves.
His re-emergence as a million pound striker to-be-feared has given Manchester City as deadly a front running double act as the First Division can provide.
The effects of the lash of manager John Bond’s biting criticism has clearly had its effect, with Reeves adding extra aggression and enthusiasm to his game.
This was never better revealed than in Saturday’s third round FA Cup victory over Swcond Division Cardiff, when a 3-1 success put the Blues firmly back on the Wembley trail.
… Reeves was one of the few to shine through the mess and mediocrity, with this ability to hold the ball and turn on defenders always a formidable threat to the opposition.
Trevor Francis stole the scoring thunder with two of the goals that put the Blues in today’s fourth round draw, yet throughout Reeves played an efficient support role to finish City’s man-of-the-match.
Unfortunately, Francis and Reeves did not receive the support from midfield they needed to really finish off Cardiff, for who ex-Maine Road reserve Gary Bennett had a splendid game at the centre of defence.
Gerry Gow’s return was nothing more than an academic workout, with the effects of a three month lay-off clearly telling.
… While City did enough to win the game they still made hard work of it with the back four in particular showing uneasy signs from the opening minutes, when Wayne Hughes started to stamp his personality on the game.
His departure after an hour, with damaged knee ligaments that will keep him out for the remainder of the season, clearly upset the Cardiff balance, yet the blame coach Graham Williams piled on Tommy Hutchison was unjust, to say the least.
Certainly the tackle by Hutchison, one of the last players I know who would deliberately try and hurt an opponent, was nothing compared to the savage crunch by Steve Grapes that floored Francis early on.
Francis recovered to drive in a 25 yard free kick that gave City the lead, which they lost when an unholy defensive tangle enabled Paul Maddy to drive in the equaliser.
Bobby McDonald’s superb header from a Hutchison cross re-established City’s lead at a crucial psychological moment, 60 seconds before half-time.
And Francis finally killed off Cardiff, after the near post corner ploy worked to perfection, with Kevin Bond backheading Hutchison’s flag kick.