CITY 3 QUEENS PARK RANGERS 0
FA Premier League
11th September 1993
Attendance 24,445
scorers Quinn(17), Sheron(37), Flitcroft(70)
Ref A Wilkie
City Coton, Fiitcroft, Phelan, McMahon, Curle, D Brightwell, White, Sheron, Quinn, Groenendijk, Holden – subs Mike(48), Dibble(unused), Simpson(unused)
QPR Roberts, Bardsley, Wilson, Wilkins, Peacock, McDonald, Impey, Doyle, Ferdinand, Sinclair, Penrice – subs Allen(69), Ready(unused), Stejskal(unused)
FROM THE PRESS BOX
PAUL HINCE WRITING IN THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS FOOTBALL PINK FINAL 11TH SEPTEMBER 1993
Brian Horton’s players reminded the Maine Road fans what Manchester City are really about today.
Horton’s heroes somehow switched their minds away from their clubs bitter power struggle to turn in a magnificent display against a tough and determined Queen’s Park Rangers side.
Roared on from the start by their loyal fans, the Blues took a deserved 17th minute lead through Niall Quinn after a crashing drive from the superb Mike Sheron had bounced back into play off an upright.
And it was young England star Sheron who increased City’s lead eight minutes from the interval following a corner from Dutchman Alfons Groenendijk who enjoyed his best game for the club since his £500,000 signing from Ajax during the summer.
And the City fans were dancing in the aisles again after 70 minutes when full back Garry Flitcroft popped up in attack to make it number three.
The fans were still pouring into all quarters following the mass pre-match protest outside the ground as Rangers kicked off with an attack which was comfortably cleared by young Flitcroft. However, there was much more venom about the Blues’ first sortie into enemy territory after four minutes with the eager looking White controlling a left wing cross from Dutchman Groenendijk before whipping in a fierce low shot which produced a fine full length save from Roberts.
Chants of “Come on City” were booming out around Maine Road and the Blues were certainly responding to the encouragement as they tore into the Londoners.
Groenendijk, in particular, was in eye-catching form and the Dutch newcomer set up the next attack with a crunching tackle on England star Ferdinand followed by a glorious pass down the middle to Quinn.
The City striker intelligently squared the ball back towards Sheron and it took a desperate tackle on the edge of the penalty box from Ranger’s skipper Wilkins to retrieve the situation.
…The Relentless Blues looked determined to erase the memory of the bitter feuding surrounding the club in recent days and Maine Road exploded when City surged forward again in devastating style after 17 minutes to take a fully deserved lead.
Again the impressive Groenendijk played an important part in the move with a magnificent through ball which felt perfectly into the path of Sheron.
City’s young England star turned Peacock inside out before crashing in the shot from inside the box.
For a moment the chance seemed to go begging as Sheron’s shot clattered against the upright before bouncing back into play but the groans quickly turned to cheers when Quinn pounced on the rebound to crash it home.
This was clearly City’s most convincing home display of the season so far and just what the doctor ordered to calm down the recent turmoil.
But the Blues for all their dominance couldn’t afford to sit back on their slender lead and Rangers hammered home the point after 33 minutes when Penrice stole on to a left wing cross from Wilkins to volley a shot high over the bar from no more than six yards.
But nothing was going to deny the Blues in this rip-roaring mood and the crowd erupted again eight minutes from the interval with a second City goal.
The chance came from a teasing left-wing corner by Groenendijk which was met by Sheron whose header was somehow parried by Roberts. But Sheron showed that he is brave as well as skillful as he launched himself into the mass of flying boots to stab the ball home.
… But it was Rangers who threatened again after 52 minutes when Doyle nipped on to a clever reverse pass from Ferdinand to lash in a ferocious shot which Coton brilliantly fingertipped over.
It wasn’t long however, before the buoyant Blues were back at full throttle. Mike controlled the ball beautifully on his chest before lashing in a shot which produced a fabulous full length save from Roberts.
But this was one game which the Blues were simply determined not to lose and after 70 minutes it was 3-0 via a long range pile driver from Flitcroft.