Saturday 5th February 1972
@Goodison Park
Ground Capacity: 56,000
Kick Off: 15:00
Entry Fee: £0.50
Programme: £0.07
Venue #2
In February 1972 I was 11 years old and in my last year of junior school and so accompanied by my Dad, God rest his soul, we took the train (nothings changed much) to Liverpool where I remember searching around for the bus to take us to Goodison Park.
It was a wet, dull day and very cold, I remember being very surprised at the amount of Walsall fans there were as we arrived at the ground more than there are usually at home games. The ground was very noisy with both sets of fans trying to make themselves heard over the other and with a total gate of over 45 thousand it was something to behold, I had never seen the like before and was a little scary but exciting at the same time.
The Walsall line up was quite familiar to me Frank Gregg and Mick Evans at full back Stan Jones centre half Willie Penman wing half, Brian Taylor and Colin Harrison on the wings and big bustling Bernie Wright up front supported by Manning and Woodward. Mind, this was the Bernie Wright era before his trade mark bustling beard he just had long side burns instead. Wright had a good game this day so good that Everton bought him off Walsall but he only lasted a season with the division one team and was back at Fellows park for the 1973/74 season to make up that great little and large partnership with Alan Buckley.
In contrast you look at the team sheet at the Everton side and wonder if Walsall should be on the same pitch as these guys, Gordon West in goal 2 first division league titles, a FA cup winners medal and 3 caps for his country, Howard Kendal at number 4 the man was a legend in his own lifetime on the pitch and later on in management, Joe Royle centre foward the only member of the Royle family to play for England and I could go on all night. The one player I didn't know much about was David Johnson but I certainly knew about him during and after the match for he was the best Everton player on the pitch on the day.
The first half was lively with both teams having chances to take the lead but not capitalising on them. Considering Walsall were two leagues lower than Everton they seemed comfortable and were more than holding their own. There was no luck that they went in at half time at a 0-0 stalemate with the division one giants.
The second half started much the same but as time moved on it seemed that Everton were starting to get the upper hand as a tired looking Walsall were pushed back and conceding corner kicks they were finding themselves rather fortunate to still be level and it was mainly thanks to keeper Mark Wallington who was having a fine game.
But the inevitable happened half way through the period as tired legs were giving away free kicks and Henry Newton took one from the left and placed it on Joe Royle's head who flicked the ball into the Walsall penalty area finding David Johnson on his own to half volley the ball along the floor and into Mark Wallington's left hand corner of the net.
Everton continued the pressure for a while but never say die Walsall found a lease of life from somewhere and began to push Everton back in search of an equaliser and should have had one with Woodward missing two headed chances. With Walsall pushing forward Everton were finding space in midfield and the Walsall danger area a ball played by John Hurst down the right wing found Howard Kendall who's cross was intercepted and found it's way to Mick Evans who tried to play a back pass to his keeper through Joe Royle the ball jumped up off Royle's boot who tried an overhead kick which landed in the path of Alan Whittle who looped a header over the Walsall keeper and finding the net via the under side of the crossbar.
2-0 down and suffering adversity Walsall still kept going although all seemed lost. Everton player Henry Newton joined in with Walsall's fight when he sent a 25 yard back pass to his keeper just past the right hand post to force a corner in injury time. The ball was pumped into the Everton box but was dealt with resulting with a throwing on the left which was whipped out to the edge of the toffee men's 18 yard box where Mick Evans was waiting to blast the ball goalwards it hit two Everton players, Whittle and Wright and ended up in the back of the net just before the ref blew for full time. No time to restart the game the match ended Everton 2 Walsall 1, Everton went through to the fifth round where they went out losing 2-0 at home to Spurs.
MATCH DETAILS
