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225 vs. Yugoslavia
 
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286 vs. Yugoslavia
Wednesday, 22 November 1950
International Friendly Match

England 2
Yugoslavia 2
[2-1]
 
 
Arsenal Stadium, Avenell Road, Highbury, Islington, County of London
Kick-off (GMT): 2.15pm.

Attendance: '61,454'; Receipts: '£13,458';

England kicked-off Rajko Mitić won the toss
[0-0] Johnny Hancocks shot strikes post
[1-0] Nat Lofthouse 29

 slammed in a shot from three yards following a Les Medley centre

[2-0] Nat Lofthouse header 34

 a diving header into the far corner from a perfect Johnny Hancocks cross





[2-1]
Leslie Compton own goal 41
most reports confirm the goal as 41st min.
'Ognjanov had the ball on the goal-line but rather than tackle him Watson ran alongside and a shot across the centre of the goal hit the inside of Compton's right foot standing by the near post'
10 a.m. Film 2.5 p.m. The State Visit of The Queen and Prince of Netherlands. 2.45-3.55 England v. Jugoslavia.
5.0
Children's Story "Lazy Petronella".
  [2-2] Todor Živanović 78
right-footed placed strike from 7-yards after a Mitić shot rebounded off Ramsey into his path
'misunderstanding between Ramsey & Williams'
Final hour live - Commentator: Jimmy Jewell and Kenneth Wolstenholme
 
"TWO GIFT GOALS SAVE MATCH FOR YUGOSLAVS" Daily Mirror
Officials from the Netherlands England UK ruling on substitutes Yugoslavia
Referee (black)
Karel Louis van der Meer
45 (29 July 1905), Den Haag
The Football Association had agreed to the use of substitutes.

If the light had deteriorated sufficiently, then the Arsenal Stadium floodlights would have been used.
red flag                  Linesmen              yellow flag
Bertus Ausum
42 (22 February 1908), Dordrecht
Klaas Schipper
39 (2 December 1910), Groningen
 
England Team
 
Rank No official ranking system established;
ELO rating 4th
Colours The 1949 home uniform - White collared jerseys, blue shorts, black socks with white tops.
P 16th of 43, W 11 - D 1 - L 4 - F 46 - A 23.

Captain
Alf Ramsey Manager Walter Winterbottom, 37 (31 March 1913), appointed as FA national director of coaching/team manager on 8 July 1946;
2nd of three, W 1 - D 1 - L 0 - F 6 - A 4. P 35th of 139, W 25 - D 4 - L 6 - F 112 - A 38.
  Team chosen by Selection Committee headed by Arthur Drewry, the morning after the Wales match on 16 November.
England Lineup
  three changes to the previous match (Eckersley, Hancocks & Lofthouse>Smith, Finney & Milburn) league position (16 November)  
  Williams, Bert F. 30
295 days
31 January 1920 G Wolverhampton Wanderers FC (FL 7th) 13 15ᵍᵃ
2 Ramsey, Alfred E. 30
304 days
22 January 1920 RB Tottenham Hotspur FC (FL 4th) 11 0
3 Eckersley, William 25
129 days
16 July 1925 LB Blackburn Rovers FC (FL2 3rd) 2 0
4 Watson, Willie 30
260 days
7 March 1920 RHB Sunderland AFC (FL 18th) 4 0
final app 1949-50
5 Compton, Leslie H. 38
71 days
12 September 1912 CHB Arsenal FC (FL TOP) 2 ¹
the ninth own goal conceded by England oldest player to score own goal final app 1950
     
6 Dickinson, James W. 25
212 days
24 April 1925 LHB Portsmouth FC (FL 14th) 13 0
7
Hancocks, John 31
206 days
30 April 1919 OR Wolverhampton Wanderers FC (FL 7th) 3 2
final app 1948-50
8 Mannion, Wilfred J. 32
190 days
16 May 1918 IR Middlesbrough FC (FL 3rd) 24 11
702 9
Lofthouse, Nathaniel 25
87 days
27 August 1925 CF Bolton Wanderers FC (FL 9th) 1 2
the 155th (22nd post-war) brace the 17th Wanderer to represent England
10 Baily, Edward F. 25
108 days
6 August 1925 IL Tottenham Hotspur FC (FL 4th) 4 4
11
Medley, Leslie D. 30
80 days
3 September 1920 OL Tottenham Hotspur FC (FL 4th) 2 0
                 
unused substitutes: Ted Ditchburn (Tottenham Hotspur FC (FL 4th)), Stan Mortensen (Blackpool FC (FL 8th)) and Henry Cockburn (Manchester United FC (FL 5th)).
team notes: Never before have England played nine matches in one calendar year. If England has held on to victory, this would have also been a record seventh win in a single year.
goalscoring records: Two players ended 1950 as top goalscorer with four goals. Tom Finney, in seven matches and one hattrick, and Eddie Baily in four matches.
 
2-3-5 Williams -
Ramsey, Eckersley -
Watson, Compton, Dickinson -
Hancocks, Mannion, Lofthouse, Baily, Medley
Averages: Age 29 years 246 days Appearances/Goals 7.2 1.7
least experienced team since May 1947
 
Yugoslavia Team
 
Rank No official ranking system established;
ELO rating 10th
Colours Blue collared jerseys, white shorts, red socks.
Captain Rajko Mitić Selection International Selection Committee
headed by Milorad Arsensjević
36th match in charge
Yugoslavia Lineup
  Beara, Vladimir 22
20 days
2 November 1928 G HNK Hajduk Split SDD 3 3ᵍᵃ
2 Stanković, Branko 29
23 days
31 October 1921 RB Fk Crvena zvezda 28 1
3 Čolić, Ratko 32
250 days
17 March 1918 LB Fk Partizan 10 0
4 Čajkovski, Zlatko 26
363 days
24 November 1923 RHB Fk Partizan 34 3
5 Horvat, Ivan 24
129 days
16 July 1926 CHB nk Dinamo Zagreb 22 0
6 Đajić, Predrag 28
205 days
1 May 1922 LHB Fk Crvena zvezda 14 0
7 Orgjanov, Tihomir 23
265 days
2 March 1927 OR Fk Crvena zvezda 8 2
8 Mitić, Rajko 28
3 days
19 November 1922 IR Fk Crvena zvezda 27 22
9
Živanović, Todor 23
56 days
27 September 1927 CF OFK Belgrade 5 3
final app 1950
10 Bobek, Stjepan 26
354 days
3 December 1923 IL Fk Partizan 35 19
11 Vukas, Bernard 23
205 days
1 May 1927 OL HNK Hajduk Split SDD 13 2
unused substitutes: not known
team changes: Colić replaced original choice left-back Miodrag Jovanović.
records: The first continental team to leave England without losing.
The seventeen-man party were set up in Hendon prior to this match, using the Hendon FC ground to train on.
 
2-3-5 Beara -
Stanković, Colić -
Cajkovski, Horvat, Djajic -
Ognjanov, Mitić, Živanović, Bobek, Vukas.
Averages: Age 26 years 105 days Appearances/Goals 18.1 4.6
most experienced post-war opposition so far
 
              News

"Jugoslavia, now putting up a bold show in the World Cup will play England at Highbury on November 22. This was announced at the F.A. Council meeting at St. Anne's-on-Sea yesterday. It was also decided that England's World Cup team will meet a Canadian touring side for charity on September 20 or 21. This will take the place of the annual match between the Cup-winners and League champions. The game will be in London, probably at Stamford Bridge." - Thursday, 29 June 1950, Daily Herald.
  

              Match Report by Mike Payne

England's unbeaten home record against continental opposition remained intact, but they all but threw away this game after, at one time, being in a commanding position.

After a slow start, the big crowd was lulled into a false sense of security as England worked themselves into a convincing 2-0 lead after 35 minutes.

The home forwards forced the Yugoslav defenders into errors with their positive play and both Johnny Hancocks and Les Medley had the beating of their markers. The Yugoslavian goalkeeper, Beara, once a ballet dancer, was soon showing his agility.

In the 28th minute he made an unbelievable point-blank save from the debutant Nat Lofthouse after Medley had just previously hit the far post, but a minute later England deservedly took the lead. A long pass by Eddie Baily bounced beyond Stankovic for Medley to sweep the ball into the middle where Lofthouse left Beara helpless.

Five minutes later it was 2-0. Jimmy Dickinson fed Hancocks on the right and there was Lofthouse again to play his part with a glorious header into the far corner from a perfect cross. It seemed all over at this stage but how wrong that assumption was.

With only five minutes of the second half gone
[ed. four-five minutes before half-time], the first hint of what lay ahead arrived. Willie Watson, dallying with the ball on his own goal-line, was robbed by Orgjanon. His cross seemed harmless enough but alas Leslie Compton, in trying to shield Bert Williams, only succeeded in diverting the ball into his own net for an unnecessary goal which unfortunately was to completely change the course of the game.

In the next minute Zivanovic forced Williams into a fine diving save. England then tried desperately to reaffirm their first-half superiority and but for Beara's performance in goal they would have done. Three times in as many minutes he made flying saves from Wilf Mannion and how he kept out Lofthouse's header from a Hancock's centre defied belief.

With half an hour to play, the England team faded. Inspired by Beara's saves the Yugoslavia side suddenly took control. With the outstanding Bobek pulling all the strings and good support coming from Cajkovski and Djajic they were making full use of their fine footwork.

In the 78th minute they finally scored their deserved equaliser. Again England's defence was badly at fault with Bobek's first shot needlessly blocked by Alf Ramsey when Williams was in position behind him. The rebound went straight to Zivanovic and in a flash it was 2-2.

Only Dickinson, Bill Eckersley, Hancocks and the impressive Lofthouse looked their true selves and the second half had been a real struggle for England. To their credit, though, they almost snatched  victory near the end only to find man-of-the-match Beara once again barring the way.

  

              Match Report by Norman Giller

Bolton centre-forward Nat Lofthouse announced his arrival on the international stage with two goals. It was the first time in post-war football that England had gone into action without either Matthews or Finney. Leslie Compton deflected the ball into his own net, and Yugoslavia forced a late equaliser to become the first Continental side to avoid defeat in England in a full international. Lofty scored his two goals in a five minute spell midway through the first-half. The Yugoslavs fought back bravely and their equaliser in the 72nd minute was reward for a battling performance against an England team that wasted at least five good scoring chances. Their goalkeeper, Beara, a former ball dancer, pulled off three blinding saves as England stormed forward in vain search of a late winner.
   

              Match Report as appears in the F.A. Yearbook 1951-52, pages 23-24

For the next International, against Yugoslavia at Highbury, on November 22nd, the selectors were faced with a difficult decision — whether, in view of the different style of continental play, to give the same team another run. It was decided to play Hancocks and Lofthouse in the forward line, and substitute Eckersley for Smith.
England were definitely on top in the first half, and for the first 35 minutes showed real co-ordination both in attack and defence. They fully deserved their first goal, which came after 30 minutes, when a long pass from Baily was swept into the middle by Medley for Lofthouse to leave the Yugoslav goalkeeper helpless. Five minutes later, after a movement by Dickinson and Hancocks, Lofthouse again scored. England now seemed to have the game under control, until, five minutes before the interval, Compton touched the ball inside his own post, and left England only one up.
England attacked again at the beginning of the second half, and there were some magnificent saves by Beara, the Yugoslav goalkeeper. Yugoslavia now revived. The English forwards lost all rhythm and the defence was hard pressed again and again. At last, with only 12 minutes to go, Zivanovic equalised for Yugoslavia after a bad defensive blunder. In the last few minutes England made great efforts, in which Dickinson, Hancocks, Eckersley and Lofthouse were prominent, to regain the lead, but Yugoslavia's defence held. The Yugoslav team left the field, the first Continental team to remain undefeated in England in a full international.

                   In Other News....
It was on 22 November 1950 that 25-year-old Patrick Cooney was sentenced to five years in prison for the manslaughter of 37-year-old Rotherham Grammar School woodwork teacher, Kenneth Crowe, four months earlier. Crowe had been dressed in his wife's clothing and had propositioned Cooney in the street. After they had kissed, Cooney realised that Crowe was male and was so incensed that he beat and strangled the teacher to death in a shockingly violent attack, yet the court took into account his previous 'good character' and considered that it was extreme provocation. He was found not guilty of murder.
              Source Notes

 
TheFA.com
Original newspaper reports
Reprezentacija.rs
  Rothman's Yearbooks
Mike Payne's England: The Complete Post-War Record

Norman Giller, Football Author
British Pathé

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