HALSTEREN 2 CITY 1
Friendly
3rd August 1993
Attendance
Scorers
City McMahon
Halsteren
City Coton, Lomas, D Brightwell, McMahon, Hill, Vonk, White, Quigley, Groenendijk, Simpson, Holden – used subs Reid, Phelan, Kerr
FROM THE PRESS BOX
PAUL HINCE WRITING IN THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 4TH AUGUST 1993
Injury hit Manchester City slumped to a 2-1 defeat against FC Holsteren in last night’s friendly in Holland.
Peter Reid’s tour party had been sliced down to the bare bones with six first-teamers under treatment before the four-club tournament in Southern Holland which begins on Friday.
Already without Keith Curle, Niall Quinn Terry Phelan and Ian Brightwell, Reid hit more injury problems late yesterday when youngsters Mike Sheron and Garry Flitcroft were ruled out of last night’s match with muscle strains
The new setbacks forced the Blues’ boss to send out a makeshift side which included Rookie Steve Lomas at right back and David White up front as a lone striker.
Reid’s patched-up team fell behind to an early goal but equalised before half time with a 25-yard thunderbolt from Steve McMahon.
However a defensive mix-up in the closing minutes enabled the Dutch side to snatch the winning goal, to inflict City’s second defeat in three outings during their tour to Holland.
“In the circumstances I was satisfied with our performance,” said Reid. “I had to turn out a scratch side because of the crop of injuries and we used the match as a training exercise.”
Although skipper Curle will take no part in the remaining games in Holland, Reid is hoping that the rest of his injured players will be fit for the weekend tournament which opens with a match against PSV Eindhoven on Friday night.