CITY 4 LEICESTER CITY 2
League Division 2
3rd October 1987
Attendance 16,481
Scorers
City Stewart(28 & 75), Varadi(51 & 58)
Leicester Newell(5), Rantanen(59)
Ref Trelfford Mills
City Mimms, Gidman, Hinchcliffe, Seagraves, Brightwell, Redmond, McNab, Stewart, Varadi, Scott, Lake – subs White(74), Adcock(unused)
Leicester Cooper, Morgan, James, Osman, Brien, Ramsey, McAllister, Newell, Rantanen, Mauchlen, Venus – subs Reid(70), Moran(78)
PAUL STEWART SCORES TO MAKE IT 1-1
FROM THE PRESS BOX
DOUBLE JOY FOR VARADI
PETER GARDNER WRITING IN THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS FOOTBALL PINK FINAL 3RD OCTOBER 1987
Manchester City resolutely came from behind after giving Leicester the lead with a sloppy early goal at Maine Road today.
On-loan goalkeeper Bobby Mimms was at fault for the 5th minute lead Mike Newell gave his side.
However Paul Stewart’s 4th goal of the season revitalised the flagging Blues after 27 minutes with the equaliser, and 5 minutes into the second half Imre Varadi increased his lead as City’s top marksman by shooting the battling Blues ahead. 7 minutes later he made it 3-1.
After two successive away defeats, City were anxious to make up for lost time, but it was Leicester who struck the first blow by racing into the lead.
Within 30 seconds Lake, forming a new link midfield from which wingers Simpson and White were dropped, crossed from the right and Ramsey’s hurried back pass was held head high by Cooper.
At the other end a McNab error saw Seagraves, on his home debut following a £100,000 move from Liverpool 11 days ago, clear at the expense of a corner, from which Leicester snatched the advantage.
Rantanen, Leicester’s beefy Finnish striker, lifted the ball back towards the far post, where Newell was given a free header to flight his effort into the corner of the net.
…Leicester, relegated with the Blues last spring and unbeaten in their last five matches, looked the more organised side.
They threatened with McAllister and Newell linking before Hinchcliffe stepped in to rescue the harassed home side.
Seagraves tried his luck from 30 yards, only to balloon the ball high over the bar, but in the 27th minute the Blues finally got their game together to equalise.
Gidman started the move which saw McNab, from the right, delicately flight in a left-footed cross and Stewart rose majestically to power in a header well wide of Cooper’s left hand.
Half-time: Manchester City 1, Leicester City 1
City remained in aggressive mood, with Lake, Scott and McNab all linking effectively before Gidman crossed straight into the hands of Cooper.
… Finally City’s bolder and more adventurous approach paid off in the 50th minute.
Varadi made time and space for himself following good work by the industrious Scott to drive a right-footed angled shot past Cooper.
In the 57th minute City went further ahead, Varadi was again the scorer, although Leicester will forever claim the City striker was well offside.
A long ball was played through the middle and Varadi, who hit a hat-trick against Stoke a fortnight ago, made it 3-1, only to see Rantanen score within a minute.
…Despite their slim lead, City were still far from convincing as Leicester put further pressure on them in a game that remained wide open.
But City’s two goal advantage was restored in the 74th minute when Stewart left Osman stranded to cut in from the right and finish with a crisp low drive.
At the same time Scott caught by Mauchland in the ribs, was replaced by White.
City continued to live dangerously, and five minutes from the end Moran shot inches over following a corner on the right.