ENGLAND had made it! By virtue of this hard-won point in Dublin, they now qualify for next June's World Cup Finals in Sweden. But oh, what a narrow squeak they had in getting that conclusive point.

This was one of the most stirring internationals since the war. With so much at stake, and with a fervent sand excited 47,000-strong crowd right behind the Irishmen, it was also one of England's most difficult games. That they won a point at all says a lot for their character. Let the story unfold.

Only three minutes had gone and the crowd were hardly settled, when the Irish set the stadium alight by taking the lead. Fitzsimons began the move by creating an opening for Haverty down the left. He whipped in a cross and although Alan Hodgkinson partially saved, the ball ran loose for Ringstead to crash home a shot amid great excitement from the crowd.

They knew that a win here and victory over Denmark later would see them go through to Sweden at England's expense.

Ireland were inspired by the goal and with their half-backs looking magnificent they were formidable opposition. On 15 minutes a very important incident occurred. A superb move by the Republic began with Whelan and was carried on by Ringstead and Curtis. At the end of the attack Haverty was left with an open goal. It looked curtains for England at that moment but somehow Haverty's shot struck Hodgkinson as the goalkeeper made a despairing dive. A goal then and the game would probably have been all over.

Ireland's dominance at this stage was emphasised by the fact that they won most of the tackles and the loose balls. Whelan at inside-right, was outstanding and easily the best midfield player on view. Despite all this, the Republic still had only the one-goal lead at half-time to show for their efforts.

After the break, England really rolled their sleeves up. They realised they had a very difficult match and knuckled down bravely to their challenge. Gradually, Ronnie Clayton and Duncan Edwards imposed their powerful presence on the midfield battle. But the Republic's defence gave nothing away with Godwin and Hurley outstanding. Tommy Taylor did produce some danger with his determined running, but England, with Johnny Haynes strangely subdued, had no cool head to finish off the improved approach play. They forced many corners, on both flanks, but always the final touch was missing.

The Irish were dangerous when given the chance to break from defence with Whelan shooting just wide and Haverty seeing his shot headed off the line by Billy Wright. But by now it was nearly all England, possession wise, and with 15 minutes to go Taylor missed a sitter after he turned sharply to seize on Godwin's only mistake under the Irish crossbar. That looked to be a costly miss.

To their credit though England continued to throw everything forward and they forced corner after corner. With the 90 minutes up and injury time fast disappearing, the visitors looked destined for defeat. The crowd were at fever pitch with victory so close. But then, in virtually the last attack of the game, came the last dramatic moment of a pulsating game. Tom Finney, who up until then had had a quiet match, picked up a fine pass from Jeff Hall and set off for one last run down the right wing. He cut inside Saward's tackle and then swerved outside Cantwell. Saward ran back for another go but was beaten on the by-line. Finney then produced a perfect centre for John Atyeo to head home.

The England players jumped for joy as the Irish crowd looked on in disbelief. A truly dramatic end to an exhilarating afternoon.
   

England, needing a point to qualify for the World Cup finals, were rocked and shocked by a third minute goal from Dublin-born winger Alf Ringstead. He crashed a loose ball wide of his Sheffield United team-mate Alan Hodgkinson to send the capacity crowd in Dalymount Park wild.  From then on England struggled to make any impact against an inspired Irish defence in which Bournemouth goalkeeper Tommy Godwin and Millwall centre-half Charlie Hurley were outstanding. The game was into its last minute when Tom Finney fired over a perfect cross for John Atyeo to head a superbly taken equaliser that gave relieved England a passport to Sweden. David Pegg, who came in for the injured Stanley Matthews, won his only cap before becoming one of the victims of the Munich air crash. Atyeo's goal saved England a lot of embarrassment, and a hammering from the press. The selectors rewarded John by never selecting him again! He returned to Bristol where he created new goal scoring and appearance records for City before concentrating full-time on his teaching career. He eventually became a headmaster, which he had always been on the football pitch.
  

By their draw at Dalymount Park, England duly gained the one point which was necessary to take them into the Finals of the World Cup. But every single Irishman in the tightly packed crowd of 47,000 will agree that there never was a narrow squeak. It was only in the final seconds of a stirring game that Atyeo headed in a perfect centre from Finney to equalise the goal which Ringstead had scored in the first few minutes.