CRYSTAL PALACE 2 CITY 3
League Division 1
29th November 1980
attendance 16,578
scorers
City Reeves(1), Gow(25 & 85
Palace Walsh(73), Sealy(78)
ref A Glasson
City Corrigan, Ranson, McDonald, Reid, Power, Booth, Bennett, Gow, MacKenzie, Hutchison, Reeves – sub Henry(unused)
Palace Barron, Cannon, Fenwick, Hinshelwood, Boyle, Gilbert, Lovell, Francis, Walsh, Flanagan, Hilaire – sub Sealy
FROM THE PRESS BOX
THE CITY’S SECURITY BOND
TONY PAWSON WRITING IN THE OBSERVER 30TH NOVEMBER 1980
John Bond has revivified Manchester City with this 3-2 win at Selhurst Park, giving them 13 points from their last nine matches compared to four from 11 when Malcolm Allison was in charge. It took the team all of 15 seconds to score and establish a mastery that they maintained despite Palace’s spirited second half rally.
That flying start was a fair reflection of City’s fluent play throughout the first half. The tricky dribbling of Hutchison and Bennett, the sudden surges of MacKenzie, the intelligent runs of Ranson all made openings for Reeves who scored the first, or Gow, who headed the second.
Bond has quickly stiffened City and transformed them with modest and sensible buying. McDonald and Gow have brought stability, Hutchison the threat of the unexpected.
For Palace there has been little but frustration of late, and their players, ordered by chairman Ray Bloye not to discuss the situation, looked in the first half to be bound as well as gagged. In the second, however, they were quick to shake off the shackles when City seemed content to rest on their gains.
First Walsh beat Corrigan with a fierce shot. Then Sealy, substituting effectively for the injured Francis, interchanged passes with Cannon before driving past Corrigan from close in.
That equalising goal spurred City back into their earlier mood of attack. With three minutes left Hutchison once more tormented his tacklers before crossing low for Bennett to play the ball back and Gow to drive in the deserved winner.