MATCH REPORTS 1998/99

MAR 6 MANCHESTER CITY - NORTHAMPTON 0-0 (0-0)

Report by: Tony Burns

On a day that began with moderately heavy snowfall in and around Manchester, it was great to see another superb crowd at the Academy for what we had reasonably expected to be a safe three points. 27,999 turned up with high expectations.

It was of course not to be. I suppose the match had started off rather badly for me. On the way to the ground I accidentally stood in on one of the huge piles of horse sh*t that almost seem like a design feature of the alley ways that run round the back of the Kippax. An easy thing to do when you're trying to avoid the equally huge but slightly more revolting piles of dog sh*t.

Despite my best efforts to scrape it from my trainers the rather acrid smell of the horse muck coupled with the equally pungent aroma of a young Mancunian sat in front of me (who needed a damn good wash with some strong carbolic!) was to haunt me throughout the game.

Strange nick name for a team I thought, Cobblers. Even stranger to hear the away fans shouting 'Come on Cobblers'.

Moving on to the game, there's no getting away from it but a 0 - 0 home draw was a disappointment. We started in a scrappy undirect fashion. Without doubt the scrappiest start of the year. It was obvious that this was going to be a difficult one. Northampton clearly had come with the intention of going all out for it. They had as many of their players behind the ball at every opportunity and with Goater and Taylor looking lack lustre I wasn't confident.

We had a couple of early runs, Edghill let go with an early low shot, Crooks had an early free kick and Horlock had an opportunity around the 12th minute or so.

Almost from the start I thought Michael Brown was looking our best player as well as having a few goes himself he was also doing well at getting the ball across. Approaching the half hour Taylor headed on goal only to see it go wide, but to be honest I'd be exaggerating if I said we really looked like we were going to score.

I don't offer this as an excuse but the refereeing was without doubt the most lamentable I have seen for some time and there's been some dodgy refereeing this year. This came to a head in a 2-minute spell as Horlock was booked twice and sent off. To say that the booking was fair would be like saying Maggie Thatcher remains the darling of the working classes.

She isn't and it wasn't.

The linesman has to take his share of the responsibility he was right next to the incident and he should have put his view to the referee. Basically Horlock and gone in for a tackle the player jumped and slipped there was no contact made and Horlock was in the book. I understand from the radio reports that we listened to as we drove home that the Northampton player is happy to testify at the appeal to say that there was no contact. The next challenge was a straightforward 50-50 ball. That was it and to the intense annoyance and bile of the crowd the referee showed him the red card.

After that it was always going to be uphill and I suppose we did OK with 10 men. We got nothing from this game because Goater and Taylor were very poor and on that showing would struggle to make the grade in a second rate pub team. This was all the more disappointing as I thought Goater had improved a little recently.

I was certain that Royle would bring Dickov on for Goater at the interval and I hoped Tiatto for Taylor and allow Brown to roam a little more forward. It wasn't to be though and we didn't see Dickov until well into the second half, with only 30 minutes or so to go. His impact was immediate and we looked more likely to get something with him on. The most striking difference between Dickov and Goater is that Dickov looks like he wants the ball all the time, I think Joe Royle must start with him in the coming matches if we are going to maintain and improve on our recent good run.

I haven't got much else to say as I was too cold to make more notes. On balance then we did deserve to win there is no doubt we were the better team, but yet again we were let down by the abysmal form in front of goal that our strikers show.

I do still think we will make the play offs, but we remain determined to do it the hard way and leave it until the last kick of the season.

At the next home game the 'special guest' at the Academy is Ronald McDonald (honest), giving out freebies etc and promoting no doubt, the joys of fast food.

I sincerely hope that Joe Royle is able to sign him up and play him instead of one of our strikers, after all he could't look any more stupid could he?

MAR 9 BURNLEY - MANCHESTER CITY 0-6 (0-2)

Report by: Mike Barnett

Burnley were walloped by Gillingham 5-0 in their last home match, a benchmark City had to approach to prove their play-off credentials. City were unchanged, except for Danny Allsopp, who replaced the suspended Paul Dickov on the bench. The Clarets had record signing Steve Davis back to firm up their defence.

From kick-off to final whistle, City were irresistible, and in truth, the home side were lucky to escape with only a 0-6 battering. On this performance, Burnley looked prime candidates for relegation. After surviving an early scare when Graham Branch forced a top save out of Nick Weaver, the Blues took control. City were solid at the back, creative in midfield, and ruthless in attack, and a goal just had to come. On 16 minutes, Morrison launched a long ball forward to the feet of Cooke (who was later to head on to the post) down the right. Kevin Horlock met the pinpoint cross with the perfect finish. Gareth Taylor, who had an excellent match despite not scoring, then met Michael Browns cross with a thundering header, only to see Burnley keeper Paul Crichton palm the ball over.

Burnley certainly had their chances, but the Blues were not going to surrender a goal that easily. Weaver pushed another Branch effort round the post, but all it did was signal another City goal. Shaun Goater elected to shoot after beating two defenders in the box but before he could get his shot in, Brian Reid cleared, only for Morrison to meet Cookes resulting corner with a truly unstoppable header. The half ended with a clash of heads between Morrison and the Clarets Neil Moore. No prizes for guessing who came off second best.

After the break it became something of a procession as Goater put away his first City hat-trick in the space of a little over 15 minutes. He collected Taylors nod-down before drawing the keeper and firing in for the first; the second came as he finished off a lovely cross-field move involving Cooke, Brown and Lee Crooks; and his third arrived via more good work by Cooke, who set him up for a simple tap-in.

Every time City attacked, a goal looked likely. Only heroics by Crichton, plus the help of the foot of the post which denied Horlock, kept the score down. Of Burnleys outfield players, only gangling winger Glen Little, who gave Crooks a bit of a runaround and grazed the bar as he lobbed Weaver, looked anywhere near the required class. As for their defence...

Having done his job and shut up those fans who had been calling for him to be given a rest in the reserves, Goater left to a heros reception. Allsopp replaced him, and he too got on the score-sheet. With only eight minutes remaining, Taylor embarked on a run down the inside right channel and shot. Crichton could only parry the ball into the path of the young Aussie, who did the rest, although it wasnt the most elegant of finishes.

Morrison demonstrated his commitment to the cause - as if anybody doubted it - by denying Andy Payton. Allsopp should have made it seven after Taylor's square ball through a non-existent defence found him free with only the goalie to beat, but miss he did. Perhaps he was showing the home side some mercy?

Joe said "Its been coming. Someone was going to get it sooner or later. I thought the first half was our best half of the season, we were outstanding. We looked a good side tonight, and at times we were going through them like a hot knife through butter. I just know that when we play like that, theres nobody better in this league. Itll make one or two people sit up and take notice."

MAR 13 MANCHESTER CITY - OLDHAM 1-2 (0-1)

Report by: Tony Burns

I don't know a great deal about Oldham. Previous experience has been pretty much restricted to driving through a landscape that probably inspired a thousand pictures. Today the matchstick townsfolk, no doubt given the day off from the darkened mills by their masters, made their way to their very own cup final.

The route to the ground was brightened by the sight of the mill workers in their finery, their bonces adorned by the most magnificent display of flat caps this side of, er Oldham.

I was certain it would be an unusual day, this was borne out by the difficulty we had in finding somewhere to park amidst the horse drawn carriages and charabancs that had carried the mill workers to the Academy.

One odd thing that is perhaps worth mentioning is a comment my wife made to me before leaving for the game, "isn't Oldham the home of the tubular bandage" and do you know I believe it is.

Well on to the match, it was not unreasonable to have expected a home win, after all we had hit six in midweek and we were playing the struggling Latics, a nick name that I can't even begin to guess where it comes from.

An early indication from the visiting star in the guise of Ronald McDonald did little to offer pre-match encouragement. In a week when the likes of Vialli and Wenger have commented on the Rags style of play, I was not impressed to hear Mr McDonald claiming to be a City fan.

But on to the game, the Latics started well and to be fair probably had the best of the play in the first five minutes or so managing to find space on the left as they attacked the North Stand end to fire across a couple of low shots that skitted and skimmed across the City goalmouth.

Goater and Brown showed some early promise as they combined well about 25 yards out from goal only to see Brown bundled down. Morrison got his head on the end of the free kick but was unable to target his effort.

About 15 minutes in we saw Brown weave the ball like cotton through an Oldham mill loom only to shoot high and wide.

Weaver was absolutely untroubled in goal, with nothing to do until Edghill brought the Latics player down for a penalty (and it looked to be a fair decision from where we were). Paul Reid for Oldham crashed the ball into the net and a thousand flat caps were lofted into the air at the Oldham end as they took the lead.

The move forward that had led to the charge on goal and the subsequent penalty in reality was initiated from a poor pass that failed to find its target from the City skipper Morrison [it was Edghill - Ashley], indeed it was to be another piece of misjudged work from Morrison that was to lead to the second half corner that gave the Latics their second goal.

So it was 0-1 at half time, a poor performance from City against a poor side from the lower levels of this wretched league. Despite the score there was no doubt that it was City who had made the chances, our failure once again in front of goal was to be our downfall.

The pattern of play in the second half was much the same. The Latics fans no doubt fired up by their exposure to the fresh Mancunian air and enjoying the daylight were in good voice. I was a little confused by some of their chants as they seemed to call for their team to rely on a defensive game as they chanted 'come on hold them, come on hold them' or perhaps this was merely a chant related to that most northern of pastimes pigeon fancying. In any event they were in better voice than the blues.

I didn't think this was something I would find myself saying but we looked to be missing Goater who had gone off injured earlier on. We made all the chances, were the team on top and yet still couldn't find the net. A penalty though gave us hope. We thought that Horlock would be the man to take it, but it was not to be as the out-of-form Taylor spotted the ball, and hit it poorly to see the Latics keeper make a not too difficult save. This provided an opportunity for the Mill workers in the North stand to lift off their flat caps from their ruddy faces and make patterns in the sky as they swirled their flat caps into the air in a dazzling display of synchronised relief.

Had we got the goal, I think most people at the Academy would have said we would go onto beat them as it was we gave away a corner that we shouldn't have done, Morrison headed back and when he could have safely collected the ball he allowed it to go, the in swinging corner from Reid was met superbly by an Oldham player who made a fine header push the netting to the limit.

What a disaster 0-2. They had two attempts at goal - both from set pieces - and had got them, we had had loads and got none. The fans who left early missed the best part of the game, the last 15 minutes saw City charge forward, a superb piece of skill from Brown (our best player again) saw him mesmerise the Oldham players before Taylor finished it to make it 1-2.

We did have a decent header cleared of the line and once again at the Academy we saw the away keeper make some very very good saves, but let's not kid ourselves, you tend to get what you deserve in football and we just did not make our dominance pay.

The entertainment continued as a streaker dashed from the Maine stand, raced towards the Mill workers and with arms aloft appeared to waggle his 'tubular bandage' at them before weaving down the pitch towards the Platt Lane. Of course a couple of constables gave chase and the streaker showing a deftness of foot and a clean pair of cheeks was able to evade the law a little longer before slipping and thus allowing one of the uniformed officers to lie a little dangerously on top of him. I couldn't help but think he ought to take care at this stage with his truncheon.

So what now then, another fine crowd, 30,321m (more than any Division One game and more than a number of Premier games), we're still in sixth place, I think we will still make the Play Offs but we simply must not slip up again. We can start to put things right on Tuesday when we take on Notts County.

The Oldham fans will have enjoyed their day out, in what to them must have seemed like a day in the countryside. We saw many of them after the game looking confused and bewildered at the open expanses of the car parks and the sound of the motorised vehicles. They had won their Cup final and good luck to them, I really do hope they can stay up, the game will have given them good cheer as they head backs to the grind of the Mills and the polishing of cobbled streets.

Meanwhile we look forward to another spell in our very own sweatshop on Tuesday.

MAR 16 MANCHESTER CITY - NOTTS COUNTY 2-1 (2-0)

Report by: Simon Fink

We were always going to win this match. The perverse result against Oldham and the Law of Averages said that we would score at least twice and County wouldn't get past our defence more than once. As so it came to pass.

I'm not going to write a minute by minute account of the match. I don't think I could hold your interest for that long. Suffice to say that County produced the best move of the first half with a lovely weighted diagonal ball that Somebody County half volleyed against the inside of Weaver's post and, fortunately for us, out of danger.

After 15 minutes, Brown scored with a good header from a cross provided by Cooke. After 40, Cooke took his goal very well, beating their keeper from 12 yards-ish. County scored a goal after 70 minutes which nobody could say they didn't deserve.

City played fitfully. We were caught offside about 250 times in the match. Mostly this was a result of County pushing up to the half way line, badly timed runs and badly timed passing from our midfield who seemed strangely subdued.

Our defence didn't dominate as I thought they should. Weikens was not quite as assured as normal. Morrison, who succeeded in getting booked by a referee who was excellent, WAS dominant but a bit clumsy. Edghill who has more detractors than he deserves, played too deep and Crooks was slightly less like a donkey than I have seen him before.

By far the best player on the pitch was Paul Dickov. His work rate, his control, his lay-offs, his passing into space, his tackling and his commitment were first class. I am completely mystified as to his ommission from the team for most of the season.

Allsopp came on at half time for Taylor. He showed some good running into space and not bad close control and on the whole I was impressed by him. Even though he and Dickov didn't score when they partnered each other in the 2nd half, I thought they showed some potential as a pair. Dickov small, tricky and alert and Allsopp, big but not lumbering, good in the air and assured on the ground.

I haven't much to report about the rest of the bunch. Brown was good. Cooke scored a good goal but generally didn't impress. Horlock tried. Bishop is out of his depth in this division. He needs to play in at least one division higher. Hopefully he will next year.

We sat in the penultimate row of the Platt Lane Stand and had to endure the sad bleatings of the 'supporters' behind us. They barracked Edghill, bemoaned Crooks but most appallingly and stupidly reserved their greatest condemnation for Dickov. The most vociferous amongst them was female. It may have been that she was directly behind me so I could hear her moaning drivel most clearly, but Lord save us from these people.

My children (3 boys) get very few opportunities to see a match and then when they do go they hear from 'our own' fans what, in previous times, you might have heard from the away supporters. Is it because there are so few away fans these days that these people feel they should create some atmosphere by taking their place? If so, it's not working.

There is a time and a place for criticising your team. I'm certainly not averse to calling a donkey a donkey, but the level and ferocity of abuse directed at our own players by these morons at the match was quite sickening. At one point I did tell the female she was a saddo and the abuse did abate for a time but as soon as one of her 'favourites' erred she was back on his case again. Honestly, some of my best friends are women, but I could see an argument for bringing back the witches head vice for this woman. I know I sound terribly sexist and there are many more ill-informed men around but somehow I resent high pitched, bickering stupidity more than any other.

Enough complaining about the fans, let ME complain about the players in the right place. Points out of 10.

Weaver 7 (knows where his posts are, ahem! County hit them 3 times)

Crooks 6 (I've never given him more than 6 but I wouldn't shout it at him).

Edghill 6 (his modal score for the season)

Weikens 7 (less good than usual)

Morrison 7 (is he getting fatter?)

Horlock 6 (was he on Horlicks?)

Bishop 6 (not a knight)

Brown 7 (Green but getting better)

Taylor 6 (I think he'd be better in defence. Certainly good at keeping the ball out of the net)

Allsopp 7.5 (a good effort and definite potential)

Dickov 8 (m-o-m, easily)

Cooke 6.5 (a lightweight I'm afraid. Utd'll sell him cheap, don't worry!)

On the whole, we're on our way to Wembley. We shall not be moved. Just, let's all go together!

MAR 20 COLCHESTER - MANCHESTER CITY 0-1 (0-0)

Report by: Neil Quinn

Before I start, bear in mind this is my first live report, and the only other live game I've seen this season was away to Wycombe.

I was able to wangle a family visit to nearby Needham Market with sprogs atow and took my sister-in- law, Alison (a POSH fan, her season is even worse than ours!) along for moral support. I'll be glad when we're out of this league, what a ground, the Clock End was a stand about 6 rows deep with a clock about 2 foot square nailed to the back. I start to get worried when I open the programme to find home team players (Jason Dozzell) sponsored by 'Mrs Judith Musgrove' - scary!

The attendance was 6,554, the highest of their season so far, but only a few hundred more than Fulham's visit last August. The omens were good when we won the kids penalty shoot out (3-2), which had been brought forward to the start of the match and had Colchester's favourite son? Steve Lamacq as commentator (don't give up your day job). The first half started in a nervy manner, with the U's coming close to scoring twice in the first 5 minutes. Our main tactic seemed to be to kick the ball out of the ground (the logic being, if they haven't got a ball, or run out of them, it may stop us conceding a goal). City looked amateurish for the first half hour, the game had a conference feel to it, too much hoofing, no vision or anyone putting their foot on the ball (Bishop, at least should have done this).

We survived the first 20 minutes mainly due to Colchester's poor finishing in front of goal, when we got our first corner. Their new Brazilian signing, Fumaca (sp?) didn't last that long, he went off after about 15 mins with concussion, from Grimsby reserves to Colchester General! Having been to quite a few away games in my years (but only Wycombe this season, I'm still trying to forget), I was shocked at how quiet we were, there was not much vocal support throughout the match (except with goal celebrations).

Colchester's supporters best effort was 'you're not going up' to the tune of 'knees up Mother Brown', mmhmm, most amusing. The Wiekens/Morrison partnership was stable at the back (apart from a few twitches) but not as assured as I have seen them. Crooks/Edghill were competent but no more, Weaver didn't have much to do, but looked the part anyway. The midfield lacked some direction, Brown was gritty and had a few determined runs but Bishop wandered in and out of the game without stamping any authority on it, considering his experience in football, he was disappointing. We were making too many pretty triangles in our own third, which doesn't hurt anyone.

The worst guy on the pitch was the referee, believe it or not, I'd rather not slag off refs, it's a thankless job, but this guy was crap. He must have bought a new whistle for this match and was determined to get his money's worth. He blew up for every challenge in the air, he didn't let the game flow at all, and seemed to want to stamp his authority on the game but didn't know how to do it, so he blew his whistle alot. The first half was instantly forgettable, I was glad we came off the pitch with it still being 0-0.

City came out unchanged, and a bit more sprightly for the second half. We were trying to string together a few moves to put the U's under a bit of pressure. Their goalie made a poor clearance, which was picked up by Cooke who lobbed it in towards Goater who took it well and finished in some style, I think it was on the edge of the box, good finish anyway. Buoyed by this we pushed again with Taylor being put through by Goater(?) who finished neatly from a wide angle, this was disallowed for offside, I was at a bad angle to judge if it was a fair decision. After that, the game went quiet again apart from a spell of pressure from the U's with about 15 minutes to go, which culminated in a shot which hit the post, and Weaver making a fine save (double save?) from close range. Morrison was booked for bullying their big centre forward (who must have been a foot taller). Overall, this was a poor game by both sides, maybe this is the type of game you have a bit of luck in and come away with 3 points and thank him above. A draw would have been a fair result, we weren't that much better than them. But who cares, we won! It makes a change for us to play badly and win.

Performances:

Weaver: B- (does his homework, willing to learn)

Crooks: C (quiet boy that sits at the back of the class, apart from Chesterfield!)

Edghill: C+ (better than of late, showed marked improvement)

Wiekens: B- (not upto his usual prefect best)

Vaughan: C+ (got in the wars a bit, showed some strong determination)

Morrison: B- (works hard, although does scare/bully some of his fellow pupils)

Bishop: C- (living on past marks, coasting too much)

Brown: B- (determined performance, should do well on sports day at Wembley)

Taylor: D (lacks concentration and is easily distracted, doesn't involve himself with the rest of the class enough, a bit of a loner)

Goater: B- (well taken goal, Shaun is really making a good effort if he knuckles down for the rest of the term, he may do well in his exams)

Cooke: C (didn't get much support from his classmates, but shows alot of promise)

Jeff Whitley: D (a bit of a face in the crowd, didn't have much time to impose himself )

This is the type of game that we needed to win, whatever the performance was like, the more I think about it the better the win seems. 7 points off Preston, dare we dream of automatic promotion?

MAR 27 READING - MANCHESTER CITY 1-3 (0-1)

Report by: Walter Smith

Well where do I start, What a day, What a Game. The game was delayed for 30 mins because of the huge influx of fans, The bar in the stadium was raided by some cheeky scally, who ran off with the profits, and someone chucked the mustard over the poor guy behind the bar when he wasn't allowed to serve more beer.

The stadium I thought looked impressive, it seated around 23-24,000 people and was 1000 times better than Elm Park, which is the worst ground I've ever been in; this stadium was in the middle of nowhere, but a good bus supply got us there on time. City fans where genuinely surprised that Mark Robins wasn't even on the bench (especially because I could have got odds of 7-1 on him scoring the first goal in Reading).

City started this game fairly slowly, they were doing more defending than attacking, the Reading home support was in fine vocal mood, and I for one thought 'Oh Dear, here we go again'. (Well I am a City Fan). They had a few new players on show today, and things seemed to be going their way. City kept squandering possession in all areas of the field, and Reading did look up for their Cup Final. Then midway through the first half, City got a free kick just outside the Reading Box, up stepped Cooke, (One- Nil in your Cup Final), I thought their Goalie would get to it, but somehow it crept in, Superb. Reading still kept coming back at City, but we managed to hold them 'til half-time.

City in the second half were totally different, you could actually see that Goater and Bishop were playing. City looked well up for it now, and all of a sudden Reading looked very poor, City were all over them, Bishop was tackling and passing and generally looking the biz. Within five minutes of the start Goater had a one on one with the goalie, he rounded him and shot wide, he couldn't believe it - neither could the crowd right next to him, he looked gutted (as well he might). Two minutes later he had another one on one, I held my head screamed 'Please' and Goater duly obliged. 2-0 and we were coasting, we looked in the mood for another Burnley demolition job. Dickov who had been there or thereabouts all game got away from their last man with the ball at his feet, in came the challenge, out came the red card. Terry Cooke struck the free-kick from the edge of the box, 3-0 and a sense of de-ja-vu. City were rampant and the Reading fans were leaving quicker than a Terry Cooke dribble. They were gutted and left with the cries of 'Cheerio-Cheerio' ringing in their ears. City 3-0 up and 30 mins left, and against 10 men with the sun shining, and a song in my heart, I felt more goals. Bishop hit the bar and managed to thump the rebound over the open net, and with a few minutes left, and a half empty stadium Reading scored, and were applauded by 4,000 City fans for there effort.

I met someone I know on the way out, but was too excited to form proper sentences to talk to him, oh well maybe next time. I was slowly brought back down to Earth in the traffic jam, outside the ground, it took forever to get out, (maybe those Reading fans weren't that stupid after all, for leaving early). This had to be the easiest game for City, they could've (should've) got a hat-full (there I go again complaining, typical City fan), We are looking far more healthy now than we have for a long time, long may it continue.

Last note, according to Reading program Dickov is 5'11'' and 13 half-stone and even more remarkably Goater is an excellent finisher in front of Goal.

by Svenn A. Hanssen, svenn@hanssen.priv.no