Articles
A Thriller at Upton Park
West Ham right back John Bond must play for England. Liverpool centre-forward Billy Liddell is the outstanding candidate as Footballer of the Year. They were the scorers and the stars in this thriller that had the “ground full” notices up half an hour before the kick-off.
And veteran supporters confirmed that not since that first Wembley Cup Final of 1923 has a West Ham team been cheered so loudly.
West Ham, much too tense for this big occasion, were jittery and unlucky in front of goal. They attacked for the first 18 minutes, and were a goal down in the 20th. Three West Ham defenders watched as Liddell chested the ball down to his left foot and cracked it past Ernie Gregory from 20 yards. It could have been demoralising but to their credit West Ham came again with no one working harder than Andy Malcolm.
Only 17 minutes left when Liverpool’s defence made it one mistake. Dick was fouled on the edge of the penalty area, Bond trotting up for the kick, turned and smiled towards his goalkeeper Gregory as he noted the three-man “wall” in front of him. In the West Ham tactic talks Gregory has long advocated the need for five men in the wall. “Never let the kicker see the goal,” is the Gregory theory. Bond could see the goal, only two yards of it, but enough. With the near – 38,000 crowd hushed for the first time Bond blasted the ball into that tiny gap 23 yards away.
Copyright - Daily Express, 21-04-1958 - Transcribed by Kjell Hanssen.
And veteran supporters confirmed that not since that first Wembley Cup Final of 1923 has a West Ham team been cheered so loudly.
West Ham, much too tense for this big occasion, were jittery and unlucky in front of goal. They attacked for the first 18 minutes, and were a goal down in the 20th. Three West Ham defenders watched as Liddell chested the ball down to his left foot and cracked it past Ernie Gregory from 20 yards. It could have been demoralising but to their credit West Ham came again with no one working harder than Andy Malcolm.
Only 17 minutes left when Liverpool’s defence made it one mistake. Dick was fouled on the edge of the penalty area, Bond trotting up for the kick, turned and smiled towards his goalkeeper Gregory as he noted the three-man “wall” in front of him. In the West Ham tactic talks Gregory has long advocated the need for five men in the wall. “Never let the kicker see the goal,” is the Gregory theory. Bond could see the goal, only two yards of it, but enough. With the near – 38,000 crowd hushed for the first time Bond blasted the ball into that tiny gap 23 yards away.
Copyright - Daily Express, 21-04-1958 - Transcribed by Kjell Hanssen.
