The Longside Reference

FA Cup Final

Burnley 1 - 3 Tottenham Hotspur

Burnley Goalscorer: Jimmy Robson

Spurs Goalscorers: Jimmy Greaves, Bobby Smith, Danny Blanchflower.

Att: 100,000 @ Wembley

Teams:

Burnley: Blacklaw, Angus, Elder, Adamson, Cummings, Miller, Connelly, McIlroy, Pointer, Robson, Harris.

Spurs: Brown, Baker, Henry, Blanchflower, Norman, Mackay, Medwin, White, Smith, Greaves, Jones

Refferee: J. Finney (Hereford)

Linesmen: R.Tinker and C. A. Brownlow

So near but yet so far, as Burnley reached Wembley, as some would remember "at the expense of the League Championship". When Burnley beat Fulham in the FA Cup Semi-Final on April 9th(at the second attempt), they were sitting pretty at the top of the league.

But with April 9th and Fulham out of the way Burnley only managed one win in their last eight league games, inexplicitly losing five of them. The Twin Towers arguably were playing a part in Burnley's title run in.

Come the 5th of May, 5 days after the league was lost, with a 4-0 stuffing at Hillsborough. Burnley were taking the Wembley stage for the second time in their illustrious history. Against Spurs who had arguably the hardest run in, apart from lower League Plymouth Argyle(1-5), they had been drawn against Division one teams such as Birmingham(3-3,2-4), West Brom (2-4), Aston Villa(2-0), then Manchester United in the Semi, which proved no problem as Spurs ran out 3-1 winners.

Burnleys run in was quite straight forward hammering QPR 6-1, a slight stutter when drawn against London club Leyton Orient drawing at Turf Moor 1-1, before beating the lower league upstarts 1-0 at Brisbane Road. From then on in it would be Division One opponents in Everton winning 3-1, Sheffield United at Bramall Lane edging the game 1-0, then to perennial strugglers Fulham, having been held at Villa Park, Burnley had to go to Filbert Street to finally dispose of the London club thanks to Jimmy Robson who put the result beyond doubt with a brace.

On to Wembley, with sportswriters pre match labelling it "the Final of the Century" as both Burnley and Spurs were renowned for playing good football, but post match it had been renamed "The Chessboard Final" as what normally happens both teams played with a level of skill and finesse they cancelled each other out.

A goal inside three minutes that took Burnley by surprise and gave Spurs the perfect start.  Bill Brown launched a long ball up field and with Bobby Smith's vision he played the ball into the path of England's premier goal poacher Jimmy Greaves, whose first touch was not brilliant but the England forward managed to outwit not only himself but the unfortunate Tommy Cummings to slide the ball past Adam Blacklaw, the ball nestling just inside the post for the opening goal.

That's how it stayed, with the first half coming to an end, Burnley and Spurs were showing why this Final was the purists final, with fantastic play from both camps.

Four minutes after the start Jimmy Robson wrote himself into the record books, with the equalizing goal, it was Robson who scored the 100th Goal at Wembley. Set up by Gordon 'Bomber' Harris when he collected the ball from a Ray Pointer pass, he raced past Peter Baker and knocked in a low cross, which found Jimmy Robson, the rest (as they say) is history as his low shot went into the net through the Spurs keeper Brown's legs.

Burnley were now back in it, 1-1 and game on, but while Burnley were still on a high, disaster hit, within a minute of the hundreth goal being scored by Robson, Spurs scored, one of Tottenham's all time legends John White took advantage, with Burnley still celebrating the equalizing goal, White on the left wing went past Angus and McIlroy, before setting up a cross into the box.  Bobby Smith was on hand near the penalty spot and as he  swivelled past Brian Miller, Smith  then crashed his shot into the goal, leaving Blacklaw rooted to the spot.  

Burnley were never out of the game, and could/should have equalized again, Robson again had the ball in the Tottenham net, only for the Linesman's flag to intervene, offside. contentious maybe, but that would not be the end of the controversy as Spurs were handed a penalty in the 82nd minute when a John White cross saw  Bobby Smith challenge Blacklaw as they both fell in a heap with another Spurs man Cliff Jones. The linesman flagged, seemingly for a foul on Blacklaw, the ref ignored the flag and allowed play to continue, Medwin then lashed a shot goalwards only to be stopped on the line by the arm of Tommy Cummings, Penalty!.

No disputing who would take it Danny Blanchflower the Irish International and football legend would step forward, and as he approached, he made a shimmy that was hardly noticeable, Blacklaw sank to his knees realising the great man had wrong footed him, the ball disappeared into the left hand corner of the net to extend the Spurs lead. 3-1 and the FA Cup was on its way to White Hart Lane.

Burnley were runners up to the double, after allowing the league to drift from their grasp, then losing to arguably the greatest Spurs team ever, after the North London Club archived the unimaginable the season previous when they completed the League and FA Cup double.

Burnley heroes to a man, leave the Twin Towers with memories, while the treasure goes to Bill Nicholson and his Spurs team.