Sheffield Wednesday looked to be cruising at Wembley. Goals from Jim McCalliog and David Ford had put the Owls two ahead, and Everton were staring at defeat. What followed was the kind of football that lodges in the memory permanently.
Mike Trebilcock, a relatively unknown Cornishman who had barely featured that season, pulled one back and then equalised to leave Wembley stunned. The winner had a touch of misfortune about it: Gerry Young let the ball slip beneath his foot, and Derek Temple raced clear to finish. Three goals in under 15 minutes, and the cup belonged to Everton.
Match report
Everton had arrived at Wembley with a remarkable distinction – the first side in FA Cup history to reach the final without conceding a single goal in the preceding rounds. Wednesday, though, showed little respect for the record inside the opening four minutes. McCalliog had a speculative effort from distance that took a wicked deflection off England left-back Ray Wilson, leaving goalkeeper Gordon West with no chance.
The Owls were on top for most of the first half, and Everton’s frustrations were compounded by fortune deserting them at both ends. Alex Young had a brilliantly finished goal ruled out for offside, and the “Golden Vision” appeared to be brought down in the penalty area by Ron Springett, only for the referee to wave play on. Wednesday, for their part, might have doubled their lead before the break, but McCalliog’s shot was brilliantly blocked in a goalmouth scramble.
“Everton had arrived at Wembley as the first side ever to reach the final without conceding a goal in the preceding rounds.”
The second half began in much the same vein. Young was desperately unlucky again five minutes in, turning sharply onto Temple’s inch-perfect pass and crashing the ball goalwards from the penalty spot, only for Springett to palm it away. Wednesday extended their lead in the 57th minute when David Ford powered home after West had parried a fierce John Fantham drive. At 2-0, the cup seemed destined for Sheffield.
What followed was one of the greatest fightbacks in cup final history. Within two minutes, Temple’s header was blocked and Trebilcock – barely known outside Goodison – made no mistake from 12 yards to halve the deficit. Five minutes later, Everton were level. Alex Scott launched a free-kick into the Wednesday area, Sam Ellis failed to clear, and Trebilcock crashed home from the edge of the area for his second.
With 16 minutes remaining, the winner arrived in dramatic fashion. Gerry Young failed to control a bouncing ball in the Owls’ defence, and Temple needed no second invitation, racing clear to fire past Springett from the edge of the area. Trebilcock nearly completed the most extraordinary of hat-tricks shortly after, only to be denied by the goalkeeper. Wednesday pressed for an equaliser and Fantham had a chance in the 89th minute, but the day belonged to Merseyside.
Brian Labone went up to collect the trophy from Princess Margaret as Wembley echoed to the roar of the blue half. The FA Cup was returning to Goodison Park for the first time since Dixie Dean and his teammates had won it over three decades earlier, in 1933.
