SCOTLAND had a dream start to this international match at Wembley. Within 60 seconds of the opening whistle they were a goal in front. Ring, intercepted a pass from Jeff Hall intended for Stan Matthews, burst past Billy Wright into a huge space before easily beating Alan Hodgkinson with a good shot — not the best of starts for England's new goalkeeper on his debut.

For the next 25 minutes Scotland had a good deal of the play and the pressure and could easily have wrapped up the result during that spell. That they didn't was due mainly to Wright, who drew on all his experience and skill to snuff out any attack that threatened the his goal. He was always there to help his fellow defenders when they were in trouble, especially Hall, who had a difficult time with the lively Ring.

Despite Wright's fine form, the Scots created several clear chances. Docherty a tigerish wing-half, and McColl, had a firm grip in the midfield and three times Hodgkinson, who lacks inches, was struggling with high crosses. However, the goalkeeper lacks nothing in bravery and dived at both Reilly and Ring's feet to avert dangerous situations.

As the half wore on , Wright's influence began to rub off on his teammates, Hall worked hard to subdue Ring, and Mudie and Fernie lost the impetus of their early play and allowed England to come more into the game, perhaps that was the crucial factor in the final outcome.

There was a dramatic moment straight after half-time when Scotland had a goal disallowed by the Dutch referee. Hodgkinson, challenged by Reilly, dropped a cross at the feet of Fernie, who promptly shot home, but the referee ordered a free-kick, adjudging Reilly's challenge unfair. That would have made it 2-0 but as it was England then took control for the rest of the match and gradually turned the result around.

Things did not flow that freely for them, though, and their disjointed forward line did not look a combined unit. Tommy Thompson was far too easily shackled by his Preston clubmate Docherty and Derek Kevan, too, looked a little below international class.

However, Kevan did not appear to be afraid to shoot and it was he who equalised in the 63rd minute. Indeed, it was Kevan who started the move as passes flowed between him, Thompson Kevan again, Tom Finney and Colin Grainger, who took it down the left to centre. Kevan, who was following up, met the cross as he dived headlong to finish off the move he had started.

Stanley Matthews, who had had a quiet game up to now, suddenly began to turn on the style. With six minutes left he set up Duncan Edwards to score one of the best goals ever seen at Wembley. A typical dribble by the Blackpool winger ended with a square pass inside. The ball was some 25 yards from goal when Edwards came streaming in. The youngster hit it with ferocious power and the ball was in the net before Younger could move. It was a goal fit to win a much better match than this one and will be remembered long after the game is forgotten.
   

Duncan Edwards snatched victory for England six minutes from the end with a blistering twenty-five yard shot that thumped into the net off a post. The Scots had got off to a flying start when Sheffield United goalkeeper Alan Hodgkinson had to pick the ball out of his net just a minute into his debut. He was beaten by a snap shot from Clyde winger Tommy Ring after he had intercepted a pass meant for Stanley Matthews. Derek Kevan, making his debut in place of Johnny Haynes, equalised in the sixty-second minute with a diving header from a Colin Grainger cross. Scottish fans were convinced they were robbed when Willie Fernie bundled the ball into the net after it had been dropped by Hodgkinson following a jolting Lawrie Reilly shoulder-charge. The Dutch referee ruled that the goalkeeper had both feet off the ground when contact was made. Tommy Docherty was the pick of the Scottish players, giving a powerhouse performance in midfield and completely shutting out his Preston team-mate Tommy Thompson, who was winning his first cap for six years. The winning goal was set up by Matthews, who beat two defenders before squaring the ball into the path of Edwards. He hit a fierce first-time shot wide of goalkeeper Tommy Younger.
  

England needed only a point for a record sixth successive British Championship, but a draw would mean they shared it with Scotland. Victory for the Scots would give them their first outright win since 1951, when they last beat England. Their previous visit had been a traumatic experience.
In the first minute, Tommy Ring intercepted a clearance from Hall, beat Wright and shot Scotland into the lead. They held it until the second half when Grainger crossed and Derek Kevan dived in to head the equaliser. With six minutes left, England snatched victory. From a pass by Matthews, Duncan Edwards hammered home the winner from fully 25 yards out.
The following year, England recorded their biggest ever victory at Hampden Park, Glasgow in the British Championship when they beat Scotland 4-0.
  

The match to decide the home championship was played at Wembley before the usual 100,000. In a sensational start Scotland were a goal up in the first minute. Ring dashed forward to intercept a pass from Hall to Matthews, cut inside and with his right foot cracked a low drive into the corner of England's goal. It was not until well into the second half that Kevan leapt high into the air to head the equaliser, and between those two goals there had been much drab football. Seven minutes from time Edwards gave England the victory with a powerful drive from more than 20 yards range. These three brilliantly taken goals were the redeeming features of an otherwise disappointing game.