CHELSEA 1 CITY 0

League Division 1

8th March 1986

attendance 17,573

Scorer Reid(og 85)

Ref A Seville

City Nixon, Reid, Power, Clements, McCarthy, Phillips, Lillis, McNab, Davies, May, Simpson – sub Baker(unused)

Chelsea Niedzwiecki, Lee, Rougvie, Pates, McLoughlin, Bumstead, McAllister, Wood, Dixon, Speedie, Murphy – sub Spackman

FROM THE PRESS BOX

REPORT FROM IRELAND’S SATURDAY NIGHT 8TH MARCH 1986
Wembley will be like a ghost town on March 23 unless Chelsea and anchester City improve considerably during the run-up to the first Full Members Cup Final.
The dress rehearsal between the finalists could only half fill Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge on a sunny afternoon, and the ones who stayed away were wise.
Chelsea, still in with a shout in the First Division title race, looked decidedly ring rusty in their first League match in a month.
Manager John Hollins could bring back fit again Kerry Dixon, and Joe McLaughlin and David Speedie after suspension, butthe absence of their tricky winger Pat Nevin left them desperately short of attackig options.
Indeed it was centre half McLaughlin who came closest to giving Chelsea the lead in a forgetful opening 45 minutes, with a left foot shot from 15 yards that flew narrowly wide.
Mid-table City with Neil McNab always pushing forward looked far more comfortable.
Half-Time: Chelsea 0 Manchester City 0
Mark Lillis had a good opportunity to put the visitors ahead after a Colin Lee error but he screwed his shot wide from 15 yards.
However, Chelsea nearly broke the deadlock first. A Dixon cross fell to Kevin McAllister at the far post and a goal looked a certainty but his effort was bravely charged down by the ever reliable Mick McCarthy.
But Chelsea got the points when Nicky Reid scored an own goal.