FUMING Manchester City chairman David Bernstein last night staged his own protest against what he saw as the Football League's insensitivity.

The Blues' supremo stayed away from the Worthington Cup extra-time victory at Meadow Lane after soccer chiefs refused to sanction a postponement of the tie following the atrocities committed in the United States.

Speaking form his London home, and clearly upset, Mr Bernstein explained why he opted to stay away.

''I love my football but I just thought it totally inappropriate. There is a time and a place for everything,'' he said.

''Americans suffered the worst outrage since the end of the Second World War and I felt I just didn't want to go to a football match.

''Our manager, Kevin Keegan, felt the game should not have taken place and the people at Notts County agreed with us.''

Requested a postponement

As the full horror of the attacks on New York and Washington unfolded, Blues secretary Bernard Halford was asked by the sickened City chairman to contact the Football League and request a postponement.

Mr Bernstein was subsequently told that a postponement wasn't possible because of the number of fans who had already set out to the game.

Keegan, meanwhile, felt so strongly about the issue that he tried to contact League officials himself but didn't get the opportunity to make his own impassioned plea because no-one returned his call.

The Blues took fewer than 1,500 fans with them to Meadow Lane for a game that attracted one of the smallest ever attendances for a competitive match featuring Manchester City.

Minute's silence

Before the kick-off both sets of fans impeccably observed a minute's silence for those who died in the day's tragic events across the Atlantic.

As for the game, it was a familiar story from a City side infuriating one minute and exhilarating the next.

After a nondescript first half, the Blues took the lead, lost it and then mounted a brave late comeback to earn a place in round three. But the victory came at a price - Israeli playmaker Eyal Berkovic and leading scorer Shaun Goater both limped out of the action and are early doubts for Saturday's lunchtime clash with Birmingham.

Super sub

City took the lead in the 61st minute when substitute Chris Shuker, on for Berkovic, acrobatically headed home from a Simon Colosimo cross.

Seven minutes later, ex-city player Danny Allsopp equalised from the spot after Richard Dunne had handled. Just two minutes later the City's defence went AWOL, leaving Nicky Weaver starnded as Mark Stallard ran through to score.

With time running out, City seemed set for an embarrasing defeat when a Colosimo long ball was brought down by Paulo Wanchope, who in turn passed to Goater to score his seventh of the season.

In extra time Dickov and Huckerby came on to re-vamp the forward line and it worked a treat, with Dickov scoring one minute into the extra period and Huckerby sealing the win late on.

Should the Football League have postponed all Tuesday night's matches? Let us know your views.

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