If there was ever a highlight to a difficult season, Manchester City’s destruction of Huddersfield Town would be it during the 1987/88 season. New manager Mel Machin had created a mixture of youth and experience, blooding many of City’s promising youngsters in his debut season in charge. By the time the Terriers arrived at Maine Road, City were just at the start of an incredible 13 match unbeaten run and Town would be their latest victims in the devastating fashion.
Huddersfield had started the season badly. Newly promoted from the third division, Town boasted former City man Andy May in their ranks and Malcolm McDonald as manager. Their problems were highlighted as early as the second game of the season as they were crushed 6-1 by Plymouth at Home Park and it would take them until the end of October to register their first win, 2-1 at home to Millwall.
Two weeks following that win came the match at Maine Road. City were unbeaten in five, including a 3-0 League Cup win over Nottingham Forest. Defeat was unthinkable for the blues against the bottom club but they survived a scare on two occasions when twice Duncan Shearer penetrated the City defence but missed on both occasions.
But the thirteenth minute changed the game. Neil McNab cut in from the right and hammered a left foot shot past the keeper to make it 1-0, opening the floodgates for a goal glut. In the twenty ninth minute, Tony Adcock slipped the ball through to Paul Stewart who took two touches before rifling the ball into the far corner for City’s second. Paul Stewart played in Andy Hinchcliffe just inside the area who crossed for an unmarked Adcock to register his first goal for the blues just five minutes later. Six minutes after that and it was four. Paul Simpson bustled past a defender and his low cross was met by David White for a simple tap in with Town’s defenders screaming for offside.
Half time score: City 4-0 Huddersfield.
The second half started where the first half left off with City putting Town under pressure again but they had to wait until the fifty third minute for the next goal. Stewart played the ball out to Simpson on the left and his cross bounced into the area. With no defenders to challenge him, Adcock allowed it to drop comfortably for him before firing past the keeper for five. Simpson was at it again down the left in the sixty seventh minute. His inch perfect far post cross was met brilliantly be Stewart who headed back across the goal, the ball dropping in at the far post for six.
A minute later, Adcock robbed the Town defence and raced into the area, firing low under the keeper for his first hat-trick for City. The blues took their foot of the pedal for thirteen minutes, but Adcock was enjoying himself too much and found Andy Hinchcliffe in acres of space down the left. The full back raced into the area and drew the keeper towards him before playing it square to Stewart for his hat-trick and City’s eighth.
Town had steadied the ship slightly only to be blown out of the water again. By now it was a case of damage limitation for them. But the harder they tried, the more they left themselves open. Every time City attacked it looked like ending in a goal. Even when they got a lucky break it still didn’t end well for them. In eighty fifth minute John Gidman got in on the act. Raiding down the right, he saw Stewart and Adcock waiting to get number nine, but his cross was met by a Town defender, who managed to block it. The rebound however, fell to David White, who struck a powerful shot beyond the keeper. City fans wanted to see ten goals, but it was Huddersfield who provided it. After being under the cosh relentlessly since the thirteenth minute, John Gidman made an innocuous looking challenge, but the referee, feeling a little sympathy for the Yorkshire side perhaps, pointed to the spot. City old boy Andy May stepped up and slammed the ball into the top corner, sending the Huddersfield fans into a frenzy, like they had just scored the winner. May turned and waved to the Kippax as the City supporters gave him a warm reception.
With time almost up, there was one final chance remaining. Huddersfield had pushed forward but lost possession to Adcock, who passed to Simpson. His left foot pass found David White completely unmarked and the winger raced towards the goal, rounded the keeper and slotted home for number ten, despite the best efforts of the Huddersfield keeper to bring him down.
City finished the season in ninth place while Town never really recovered from their mauling and were relegated.