|
"BENTLEY
HAT-TRICK BEATS WALES" Daily Mirror |
Officials
from Scotland |
England Party |
UK ruling on substitutes |
Wales |
Referee
(black)
Charles Edward Faultless
46 (5 March 1908), Glasgow. |
Teams were presented to the Guest of Honour, HRH The Duke of Gloucester,
KG. |
flame flag
Linesmen
orange flag |
George Levack
Kirkcaldy |
James Frater
Darvel |
|
|
England
Team |
|
Rank |
No official ranking system established; ELO rating 5th |
Colours |
The 1954 Umbro
home uniform -
White v-necked short-sleeved continental jerseys, blue shorts, black
socks with white tops. |
P first of 43, W 1 - D 0 - L 0 - F 3 - A 2. |
Captain |
Billy Wright |
Manager |
Walter Winterbottom, 41 (31 March 1913), appointed as FA national director of coaching/team manager on 8 July 1946; |
record 48th of 90, W 28 - D 9 - L 11 - F 118 - A 76. |
P 66th of 139, W 41 - D 13 - L 12 - F 192 - A 97,
one abandoned. |
|
³ |
Team chosen by Selection Committee,
headed by Harold Shentall, on Sunday, 7 November. |
England
Lineup |
|
seven
changes to the previous match (Wood,
Byrne, Wright & Matthews remain) |
league position
(7 November) |
|
|
Wood, Raymond E. |
23 152 days |
11 June 1931 |
G |
Manchester United FC
(FL 3rd) |
2 |
2ᵍᵃ |
2 |
Staniforth, Ronald |
30 211 days |
13 April 1924 |
RB |
Huddersfield Town AFC
(FL 6th) |
7 |
0 |
3
|
Byrne, Roger W. |
25 63 days |
8 September 1929 |
LB |
Manchester United FC
(FL 3rd) |
8 |
0 |
4 |
Phillips, Leonard H. |
32 60 days |
11 September 1922 |
RHB |
Portsmouth FC (FL
4th) |
2 |
0 |
5 |
Wright, William A. |
30 277 days |
6 February 1924 |
CHB |
Wolverhampton
Wanderers FC (FL TOP) |
63 |
3 |
most apps
1952-54 |
741 |
6 |
Slater, William J. |
27 195 days |
29 April 1927 |
LHB |
Wolverhampton
Wanderers FC (FL TOP) |
1 |
0 |
the 24th Wanderer to represent
England |
7
|
Matthews, Stanley |
39 282 days |
1 February 1915 |
OR |
Blackpool FC
(FL 19th) |
40 |
9 |
oldest outfield player |
the fourth & oldest
player to reach the 40-app milestone |
8
|
Bentley,
T.F. Roy |
30 177 days |
17 May 1924 |
IR |
Chelsea
FC (FL 12th) |
9 |
6 |
|
the
173rd (40th post-war)
brace,
the 47th (10th post-war)
hattrick scored |
9
|
Allen, Ronald |
25 299 days |
15 January 1929 |
CF |
West Bromwich Albion FC
(FL 11th) |
4 |
1 |
10 |
Shackleton, Leonard F. |
32 191 days |
3 May 1922 |
IL |
Sunderland AFC
(FL 2nd) |
4 |
0 |
742 |
11 |
Blunstone, Frank |
20 24 days |
17 October 1934 |
OL |
Chelsea
FC (FL 12th) |
1 |
0 |
the 16th Chelsea player to represent
England |
reserve: |
Bill McGarry (Huddersfield Town FC
(FL 6th)) |
team changes: |
Nat Lofthouse (Bolton Wanderers FC (FL
9th)) was named as the original centre-forward, with Ronnie
Allen at outside-left. The unused Blunstone was called into the team
two days previously, with Allen reverting to his natural forward
berth. |
team notes: |
Bill
Slater and Frank Blunstone become Winterbottom's 90th and 91st players
that he has fielded. |
records: |
This is the first time that an England hattrick has solely contributed
to England's victory. |
|
2-3-5 |
Wood - Staniforth, Byrne - Phillips, Wright, Slater -
Matthews, Bentley, Allen, Shackleton, Blunstone. |
Averages: |
Age |
28
years 344 days |
Appearances/Goals |
12.8 |
1.5 |
|
|
Wales
Team |
|
Rank |
No official ranking system established; ELO rating 32nd |
Colours |
Made by Umbro -
Red jerseys with white collars/cuffs, white shorts with red side stripe, red socks
with white tops. |
Captain |
Alf Sherwood |
Selection |
International Selection Committee, consisting of nine men, team chosen on Tuesday, 2
November 1954 |
Wales
Lineup |
|
King, John |
20 346 days |
29 November 1933 |
G |
Swansea Town FC |
1 |
3ᵍᵃ |
2 |
Williams, Stuart G. |
24 124 days |
9 July 1930 |
RB |
West Bromwich Albion FC, England |
2 |
0 |
3 |
Sherwood, Alfred T. |
30 362 days |
13 November 1923 |
LB |
Cardiff City FC |
34 |
0 |
4 |
Paul, Roy |
34 206 days |
18 April 1920 |
RHB |
Manchester City FC, England |
29 |
1 |
5 |
Daniel, W. Raymond, injured off 37th min. Returned 47th min. |
26 8 days |
2 November 1928 |
CHB |
Sunderland
AFC, England |
16 |
0 |
6 |
Sullivan, Derrick, injured off
40th min., returned for 2nd half. |
24 92 days |
10 August 1930 |
LHB |
Cardiff City FC |
5 |
0 |
7 |
Tapscott, Derek.R |
22 133 days |
30 June 1932 |
OR |
Arsenal FC, England |
4 |
0 |
8 |
Ford, Trevor |
31 40 days |
1 October 1923 |
IR |
Cardiff City FC |
32 |
22 |
mst goals |
9
|
Charles, W.
John |
22 318 days |
27 December 1931 |
CF |
Leeds United AFC, England |
12 |
7 |
10
|
Allchurch, Ivor J. |
24 329 days |
16 December 1929 |
IL |
Swansea Town FC |
20 |
8 |
11 |
Clarke, Royston J. |
29 162 days |
1 June 1925 |
OL |
Manchester City FC, England |
21 |
4 |
reserve: |
Mel Charles (Swansea Town FC) |
team notes: |
Ray Daniel went off the field with a cut over his right eye.
Derrick Sullivan was stretchered off with concussion.
|
|
2-3-5 |
King - Williams, Sherwood - Paul, Daniel, Sullivan -
Tapscott, Ford, Charles, Allchurch, Clarke |
Averages: |
Age |
26
years 194 days |
Appearances/Goals |
16.0 |
3.6 |
Sunderland
AFC have the unusual distinction of providing a player for each of the
home nations over this matchday, with the appearance of Ray Daniel for
Wales and Len Shackleton for England, Billy Bingham played for Ireland
and Willie Fraser for Scotland. |
|
|
|
Match Report by
Mike Payne |
What
a difference a month makes! After their abysmal performance in Belfast,
England came back to Wembley to produce a tremendous display which augered
well for the future. It was a stirring game from start to finish which
built up a thrilling climax with England's late flurry deciding the issue.
On a dismal, rain-soaked November day, the
two sides served up some lovely football. Wales contributed much to the
game and can consider themselves unlucky not to gain some reward out of it.
Over 91,000 people soaked up the atmosphere — and the rain — and they
really enjoyed this game.
England soon moved into a smooth rhythm. With some much improved passing
they put together some sparkling moves and, but for Ronnie Allen missing a
couple of chances, might have taken the lead. As it was, Wales were to do
just that in the 35th minute.
Ford, who sold a clever dummy to
Billy Wright, allowed the ball to run on to Allchurch. The inside-forward
hit a low cross into the middle which Ray Wood failed to cut out. Before
anyone could clear the danger, the mighty Charles roared in to score. The
Welsh number-nine was magnificent and his duel with Wright was probably
the highlight of the game. To the England skipper's credit he contained
him well, calling upon all his skill and experience.
Despite the
Welsh lead, England continued with their excellent football. The visiting
defenders held on doggedly, though, and at half-time they still had their
lead.
England's new inspiration was coming from their
wing-halves. Len Phillips and Bill Slater gave fine performances with
Phillips always seeming to have that extra yard on the ball. Having played
so badly in Belfast, it was also heartening to see the forwards play with
so much conviction. Although they missed chances, they all contributed
well with Stanley Matthews, Frank Blunstone and Len Shackleton particularly
impressive.
Both goalkeepers made fingertip saves as the game
continued after the break and it was obvious that England's pressure must
bring its rewards. It came with 20 minutes left. Good work by Shackleton
and Blunstone gave Matthews the chance to run at Sullivan. A typical burst
by the mercurial winger ended with a lovely cross which Roy Bentley
outjumped him to head in England in front.
Wales were down but by
no means out and a few moments later their fans went wild when they saw
Charles once again emphasise his power. This time he declined the obvious
pass to Tapscott and elected to swivel and fire in a thunderous shot low
past the startled Wood from the edge of the box to make it 2-2.
England were not to be denied, though, and just before the end Phillips
found Blunstone with a pass and the winger, capped a promising debut to
send a fine low centre into the middle where, once again, Bentley's
strength saw him run the ball into the net. The England number-eight thus
completed a memorable hat-trick.
Although Ford and Allchurch only
just failed with shots at the other end before the final whistle, England
had won an excellent victory. To the lasting pleasure of their fans it was
the way their team played that was more important. Their football, at
times, was a delight.
|
Match Report by
Norman Giller |
Roy
Bentley, at last forgiven for his part in the 1950 World Cup humiliation
against the United States, celebrated his recall by sinking Wales with a
hat-trick. Two of his goals came from headers at the far post after he had
exchanged passes with Matthews. John Charles, leading the Welsh attack
with fire and flair, scored twice to bring the scores level at 2-2 before
Bentley completed his hat-trick two minutes from the end of a thrilling
match played on a rain-saturated Wembley surface. Bentley's Chelsea
team-mate Frank Blunstone made his England debut on the left wing and Bill
Slater played alongside his Wolves skipper Billy Wright in his first
international match. The duel between John Charles and Billy Wright was
worth the admission money on its own. Two great and talented competitors
locked in a struggle for supremacy. Charles won on points, but it would
have been a knockout against any other England centre-half that the
selectors had tried since the Neil Franklin fiasco. Wright managed to shut
the big man out for most of the match, but he took the two chances that
came his way in dynamic style.
|
Match Report by
Glen Isherwood |
England,
the reigning British Champions, had already beaten Northern Ireland 2-0 at
Windsor Park. Wales had lost 1-0 to Scotland at Ninian Park and, as in
1952, had to avoid defeat to retain their interest in the Championship.
They took the lead when a cross by Allchurch
was converted by John Charles. Wales held this until 20 minutes to go when
Roy Bentley headed in from Matthews' centre. Four minutes later King
misjudged Byrne's cross and Bentley scored again. Wales took less than a
minute to draw level with a clever piece of skill from Charles as he
turned swiftly to send a low drive past Wood. England took the points,
however, when Blunstone crossed and Bentley came charging in to complete
his hat-trick.
Wales avoided
finishing bottom by defeating Northern Ireland 3-2 at Windsor Park.
England and Scotland were once again left to decide the destiny of the
British Championship. The following season Wales beat England for the
first time since the war.
|
Match Report
as appears in the F.A. Yearbook 1955-56 pages 26-27 |
For this match at Wembley on November 10th, England
completely remodelled her side. In every way it was a memorable afternoon:
exciting, dramatic, and occasionally glimpses of really first-class
football. England did well to win, though one could not yet say they were
a 'complete' team. Wales had the bad luck to lose two players through
injury shortly before half-time; and although they were both back on the
field five minutes after the interval, it was difficult to say how much
these accidents affected their play. They certainly deserved their
half-time lead of one goal to nil; what is more, they held it until 20
minutes from time. Then things really began to happen. Matthews laid on a
perfect centre for Bentley to head an equalise; three minutes later the
same player headed another one from a long pass by Byrne; one minute later
Charles equalised for Wales; and eight minutes from the end Matthews again
tied up the Welsh defenders and Bentley completed a noteworthy hat-trick
to give England the narrow victory.
|
In
Other News....
It was on
11 November 1954 that London County Council announced plans
to build a National Youth and Sports Centre on the site of
the Crystal Palace football pitch which had staged twenty FA
Cup Finals and four internationals between England and
Scotland before the first world war. It was to
cost £2.9 million and featured a national athletics
stadium, but it would be another ten years before it opened,
in 1964. |
|
Source Notes |
TheFA.com
Original newspaper reports
Wales' Complete Who's Who
since 1946
The Complete Book of the British Charts
Glen Isherwood's Wembley: The Complete Record |
|
Rothman's Yearbooks
Mike Payne's England: The Complete Post-War Record
Norman Giller, Football Author
British Pathé
Drew Herbertson, Scottish FA historian |
|
cg |