City started well, causing Liverpool problems early on and when Asa Hartford nodded home on seven minutes, it looked like the perfect start – but the referee blew for an infringement that seemingly only he saw. It was a soft decision - and was also in front of The Kop…
Minutes later, Hartford drilled home a low shot after a smart turn and City were 1-0 up, and deservedly so. Liverpool did react and before the break, a superb Kenny Dalglish free-kick was tipped on to the crossbar by Corrigan to ensure John Bond’s men went in at the break with the lead intact.
“Going in 1-0 up at Anfield was a brilliant sensation, but me and a few of other experienced lads in the team made sure that we went round the changing rooms saying: ‘They don’t stop and they will come back at us., we’ve got to concentrate right to the end’," said Big Joe.
"I knew that from painful experience. In one of my first games at Anfield, we were 2-1 up with five minutes left and they won 3-2. It was typical of Liverpool at Anfield.”
But the onslaught didn’t come. Graeme Souness saw a thunderous shot tipped onto the post by Corrigan, but it was City who scored the vital second goal on 75 minutes.
Bruce Grobbelaar went to collect a high ball, dropped it and Steve Kinsey volleyed a shot towards the top corner where Reds captain Thompson tipped over the bar with his hand. It was a great save but also a penalty for the Blues.
Lawrenson opined: “Bruce, it would be fair to say, didn’t have one of his better days!”
Manager’s son Kevin Bond stepped up to take the spot-kick – but as ever, Big Joe couldn’t watch.
“When we were awarded a penalty, I always used to crouch down on the spot at the other end and look away, so when I heard the City fans celebrating and looked up to see Kevin Bond running over to them in the corner, I jumped up and jogged back towards my line,” he said.
“As I did, a bottle hit me on the head and knocked me to the ground. It was a shock because that wasn’t The Kop – they weren’t like that as a rule – but I was down on the floor and our physio came on. I have a picture somewhere of Ray Ranson picking a bottle of wine up at the back of my net and in the dressing room after, one of the lads said: ‘We knew it was a bottle of wine, Joe because it was full when it hit you and empty when it hit the ground!’”
Joe was OK, but it could have been more serious and he was right – it was an isolated incident in what had always been a set of fans he had enjoyed playing in front of.
He was finally beaten on 85 minutes by Ronnie Whelan, but still City were comfortable at 2-1 and looking to seal a rare victory. And when Kevin Reeves’ clever back flick was saved onto the post by Grobbelaar – the ball struck the South African’s head and went into the net causing the TV commentator to suggest he looked a “sorry character.”
Sir Kenny added: “I always enjoyed when we played at Maine Road because it was always an important game, but though we won something six or seven games in a row, it didn’t mean we expected to win the next time we went – and I think that was City’ attitude as well.
“In that Boxing Day game, I remember Asa scoring and another hit the post and went in off Grobbelaar’s head. It wasn’t our day.”