This was the first time for 30 years and the first time in five meetings since the war that England had beaten Hungary. Both sides were a pale shadow of their famous predecessors, but England at least were now building a solid-looking defence and the framework for an interesting side.

England began promisingly on a sunny but blustery day and in the first half put together some lovely football. Nobby Stiles and George Eastham linked up well and some of the approach play was excellent. In the 17th minute, England took the lead with a fine goal. Eastham, who was the main England playmaker, this time fed Terry Paine down the right. As three Hungarian defenders were pulled out of position, Paine slipped a diagonal pass inside for Jimmy Greaves, at full stride, to collect and shoot home brilliantly inside Gelei's near-post.

The goal was of the highest quality but afterwards the play became tedious and over-elaborate. True, there were plenty of fine passing movements but the finishing, especially England's, was woeful.

One miss, ironically by Greaves, was amazing. Finding himself with only Gelei to beat at close range, he somehow managed to lose the chance - most un-Greaves-like. Barry Bridges and Eastham also missed sitters for England, whilst at the other end Bene once completely missed his kick in front of goal following Nógrádi's pass.

Only a great save by Gordon Banks prevented Bene from making amends just before the interval. The centre-forward turned brilliantly after feinting past four England defenders. Banks then made another fine stop from Nagy in the second half. Nagy had looked a very good player, linking well with Nógrádi and also trying to set the forwards free.

The game continued as a story of missed chances. John Connelly, Paine, Bridges and Greaves again were all off-target from good positions as England tried, sometimes desperately, to add to their single-goal advantage. Luckily, Bobby Moore was again in masterly form at the heart of the defence and with Charlton and Banks also on top of their game, the defence had settled into a comforting solid look about it.
  

Alf Ramsey's international playing career had ended the last time the Hungarians visited Wembley for their famous 6-3 victory in 1953. His long-awaited revenge was given to him by a well-constructed Jimmy Greaves goal in the sixteenth minute. Bobby Charlton failed a late fitness test and John Connelly was recalled for the first time since Ramsey's desperate first match against France. England's attacking moves were often disjointed and lacking imagination, but the most heartening sight for Ramsey was seeing the defence comfortably cope with a Hungarian forward line that was not a patch on their predecessors of 1953. Skipper Bobby Moore was exceptional at the heart of the defence.
  

England had been beaten by Hungary three times since their 1953 thrashing, the most recent by 2-1 in the 1962 World Cup in Rancagua. Hungary had finished third in the previous year's European Championship after losing 2-1 to the hosts, and eventual winners, Spain in the semi-final in Madrid.
They were also Olympic champions for the second time. England, the British champions, had not beaten Hungary since 1936 when they won 6-2 at Highbury.
The goal which settled it was brilliant. Paine received a pass from Eastham and picked out an unmarked Jimmy Greaves, who just managed to find the net as the 'keeper came out. It proved to be the only goal of the match.
Hungary returned to England the following year for the World Cup. They beat Brazil, the holders, and reached the quarter-finals before losing to the USSR at Roker Park. They would not meet England again until 1978.
     

Source Notes

TheFA.com
Original newspaper reports
Rothman's Yearbooks
Mike Payne's England: The Complete Post-War Record (Breedon Books Publishing Company, Derby, U.K., 1993)
Norman Giller, Football Author
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CG