Monday, January 23, 2012

English Leagues in the 60s : Preston North End West Ham United FA Cup 1963 1964

Final
2 May 1964
Wembley Stadium,
London
Attendance: 100,000
Referee: Arthur Holland

 The semi-final draw guaranteed that a Second Division club would again reach Wembley and it was Preston who edged home. Although McLaughlin scored for Swansea, goals from Alex Dawson and centre-half Tony Singleton saw North End through. Joining them in the final were West Ham, whose wait had been even longer. Forty-one years had passed since they went down to Bolton, but Ron Greenwood was fashioning a side that would open a new chapter at Upton Park. Marshalled by Bobby Moore and spearheaded by Geoff Hurst,  the Hammers began their journey by settling local difficulties against Charlton and Leyton Orient. Hurst scored twice against the Os, and then hit two more as Swindon were beaten at the County Ground. The quarter-finals pitted West Ham against top division opponents for the first time. Burnley's star was waning from their tide-winning season four years earlier but they remained a top-half side. Two goals from Johnny Byrne helped the Hammers home 3-2. 

 In the semi-final at Hillsborough, West Ham took on favourites and holders Manchester United. United had scored twenty-one goals in their six matches, nine of them from Denis Law. The Lawman had finished off Sunderland with a top class hat-trick in the second replay of a classic tie. The Hammers were granted a much-needed leveller when torrential rain fell in the hours before the match, reducing the pitch to an ankle-deep mud pudding. United dominated possession and pressed consistently, but the game was scoreless until the fifty-sixth minute. Ronnie Boyce conjured a goal out of nothing against the run of play, crashing a shot into the top corner from twenty-five yards. Seven minutes later. the Hammers' fans' thoughts turned to Wembley when Boyce headed home Jackie Burkett's cross. But back came United, who finally broke through after seventy-eight minutes when Denis Law converted a pass from George Best. As West Ham braced themselves for a nerve-wracking onslaught, Bobby Moore demonstrated his calmness under fire by bringing the ball coolly out of defence. Geoff Hurst completed the move, firing home past Dave Gaskell. West Ham had appeared in Wembley's first final, and they were finally back.

The Hammers may have started as favourites, but their Second Division opponents started more purposefully. West Ham's nerves were confirmed in the ninth minute when goalkeeper Jim Standen fumbled a shot from Alex Dawson. Doug Holden was on hand to poke in the rebound. The goal stirred West Ham into action and they levelled four minutes later when John Sissons carried the ball deep into the Preston half. The eighteen-year-old winger cut inside before hitting a low shot across Alan Kelly into the far corner. West Ham, as the First Division side, may have expected to take charge from them on, but Preston were having none of it. They controlled possession for the rest of the half and deservedly regained the lead five minutes before the break through Alex Dawson. The Hammers started the second half on the front foot, and their greater fluency paid dividends after fifty-two minutes. Kelly kept out Brown's header but Geoff Hurst headed the rebound towards goal. Again Kelly parried but could only divert the ball on to the bar. It bounced down on to the prostrate keeper before trickling agonisingly over the line. It may have been scrappy, but it threw West Ham the lifeline they needed. With nothing to choose between the sides, the game looked destined for extra-time. In the ninetieth minute, however, Peter Brabrook received the ball near the touchline. With his socks around his ankles, the West Ham winger looked barely able to put one font in front of the other, but he summoned enough energy to clip over one final cross. Arriving to meet it was Ronnie Royce whose ticless running earned him the nickname 'Ticker'. He picked the perfect moment to demonstrate his fitness, heading across Alan Kelly into the far corner. Preston were left cursing their luck having been the better side for long periods. West Ham, after sixty-six years of trying, had won the Cup.



West Ham: Jim Standen, John Bond, Jack Burkett, Eddie Bovington, Ken Brown, Bobby Moore (capt), Peter Brabrook, Ronnie Boyce, Johnny Byrne, Geoff Hurst, John Sissons.
Preston: Alan Kelly, George Ross, Jim Smith, Nobby Lawton (capt), Tony Singleton, Howard Kendall, Dave Wilson, Alec Ashworth, Alex Dawson, Alan Spavin, Doug Holden.
Scorers: Holden (10min, 0-1), Sissons (12min, 1-1), Dawson (43min, 1-2), Hurst (69min, 2-2), Boyce (90min, 3-2). 




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