STOKE CITY 1 CITY 3
League Division 2
28th December 1987
attendance 18,020
Scorers
City Stewart(24 & 44), I Brightwell(55)
Stoke Berry(82 pen)
Ref J Ashworth
City Nixon, Brightwell, Hinchcliffe, Clements, Lake, Redmond, White, Stewart, Varadi, McNab, Simpson – subs Scott(86), Seagraves(unused)
Stoke Barrett, Dizxon, Carr, Parkin, Bould, Berry, Ford, Henry, Morgan, Shaw, Heath – subs Saunders(45), Holmes(unused)
FROM THE PRESS BOX
PETER HEWITT WRITING IN THE STAFFORDSHIRE SENTINEL 29TH DECEMBER 1987
Stoke City’s hopes of an action replay of last season’s second half surge looked distinctly remote as they played the bit parts in this unseasonal production at the Victoria Ground yesterday.
Skipper George Berry was honest enough to admit: “We never took part. We let down ourselves and our supporters.”
As manager Mick Mills decides whether to pursue an extra striker for the New Year he should pause and take a fresh look at his resources after Manchester dominated this vital area from the start.
The greater physical presence of a young strapping Manchester City seemed to unsettle Stoke, who froze on the big occasion before their biggest gate of the season.
The game seemed to hinge on two first half incidents. After 18 minutes Shaw looked to have the goal at his mercy as he moved in to head Morgan’s cross only for Nixon to leap and somehow touch round.
Six minutes later Lake looked to be well offside from Varadi’s through ball.
The linesman’s flag stayed down and Lake thundered on before crossing to Simpson, whose shot beat Barrett. Stewart applied the finish.
Stoke never looked like getting back into the game and Manchester midfield man Neil McNab then took charge, adjusting the tempo to unsettle Stoke’s defence.
Stewart let Stoke’s defence off the hook when he whipped clear only to overrun the ball. He did better the next time one minute before the break when he was sent clear by White.
Stoke’s defence were caught square and Stewart finished in style as he lobbed Barrett from just inside the penalty area.
It was virtually over after 55 minutes. Stoke failed to clear a series of left wing attacks and finally McNab slipped Dixon and crossed to the far side, where the sturdy Brightwell timed his leap perfectly to head home.
Stoke were unclear how to operate up front without Heath after the break. First Saunders went on the left before switching with Shaw, but it made little difference with the 18 year old Redmond looking a future England star in the Manchester defence.
Manchester could afford to ease up as Stoke’s misdirected passes made life easy for the Light Blues.
By the time Stoke pulled a goal back eight minutes from time the issue had been decided, Brightwell was adjudged to have brought down Shaw from Henry’s free-kick and Berry confidently drove the penalty past Nixon.
It was the day when Manchester’s youngsters emerged out of their lean spell. Instead it was Stoke who fell into a spell as they played too many high balls into Manchester’s hands.
Manchester are probably the biggest side in the Second Division and Stoke needed to keep their football at ground level.
Stoke have been twice outplayed by the Maine Road youngsters and have to take a hard look at themselves if their own future is to carry a hint of promise.
Just as Stoke appeared to be emerging from a season of inconsistency they are back to square one and Phil Heath, who was getting back to form, could now be out of action for the next three weeks at least with a fractured jaw following an early collision.
Heath pluckily played on in the first half not realising the damage before being driven to hospital. Berry is one booking away from suspension and Liverpool are coming! Life does not get any easier.
Mills was not seeking excuses. He said: “We did not start well and just disappeared after their first goal. We are now going to miss Heath, who was coming back to form.”