Football / Coca-Cola Cup: City survive no-Quinn situation

Nottingham Forest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0

Manchester City. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0

ACCORDING to their now-former chairman, Manchester City do not enjoy playing in the rancorous atmosphere at Maine Road. They seemed content enough, however, to have earned a replay with Nottingham Forest in last night's disappointing Coca-Cola Cup fourth- round tie at the City Ground.

Forest had marginally the better of the half-chances - which was all the teams could muster - though after a season spent largely in the last eight of the First Division they will be happy to figure in this morning's draw for the last eight of a competition they dominated in Brian Clough's heyday.

Crises have been coming on a daily basis for City - on Monday it was Peter Swales's 'death threats' claim, on Tuesday the revelation that Niall Quinn would miss the rest of the season - so their players probably greeted with suspicion the news that Stan Collymore was missing from the home attack.

The 16-goal striker had strained a hamstring in training, which let in Gary Bull for his first appearance. With Forest flooding midfield, the former Barnet player often cut a solitary figure up front, although he was instrumental in creating the first real opening in the 25th minute.

Linking with Lars Bohinen, a Norwegian with quick and clever feet, Bull gave Stuart Pearce a glimpse of goal as he arrived on the edge of the penalty area. The Forest captain swung his left boot, but Fitzroy Simpson somewhat foolhardily insinuated his body in the way.

Thus encouraged, Bull put Pearce in again in the 44th minute. Tony Coton smothered the shot, and also parried Kingsley Black's follow-up, before City's Adie Mike had a 'goal' disallowed in first-half injury time.

Pearce began to get forward at every opportunity. Another of his forays almost led to Bohinen opening his account, but his spectacular volley swerved over Coton's crossbar into the Trent End.

One bone-shuddering challenge by Steve McMahon on Black raised the Forest fans' ire. In truth, it was no more than the kind of tackle for which they so revere Pearce: selective indignation for a phoney war. Swales, incidentally, gave the match a miss. Maybe he is not such a bad judge after all.

Nottingham Forest (4-5-1): Crossley; Lyttle, Cooper, Chettle, Pearce; Phillips, Webb, Gemmill, Bohinen, Black; Bull (Glover, 76). Substitutes not used: Woan, Clarke (gk).

Manchester City (4-4-2) Coton; Vonk, Kernaghan, Curle, Phelan; White, Lomas, McMahon, Simpson; Mike, Sheron. Substitutes not used: D Brightwell, Ingebrigtsen, Dibble (gk).

Referee: K Burge (Tonypandy).