On This Day (11th December 1965): Neil Martin at the double!

Yesterday at 01:00 AM

The Red Devils took the points, but Sunderland earn the plaudits for a fine performance.

The aristocrats of Old Trafford were the visitors to Roker Park on this day in 1965. United had risen literally from the ashes of the Munich air disaster and were a team that generated much excitement when they were in town. Their much-vaunted forward line with Dennis Law, George Best and Bobby Charlton, augmented at this point by David Herd, John Connelly, and a flying young winger John Aston (who would later appear for Luton at Roker Park in the 1973 FA Cup quarter final) were feared and admired in equal measure.

But Manchester United were not just about their forward line. The legendary Bill Foulkes led the defence alongside a rolls Royce of a half-back in Paddy Crerand. Nobby Stiles was a terrier of a ball winner, who did not mind putting his foot in (or on) to win a tackle. The cultured Tony Dunne and Noel Cantwell (Grandfather of Blackburn Rovers Todd Cantwell) were both Irish internationalists and playing colleagues of Charlie Hurley, as was Pat Dunne in the United goal.

A little sidestep to acknowledge Noel Cantwell as a double cricket and football internationalist, like our own Willie Watson over a decade or so earlier. Warwickshire crickets Mike Hellawell would be in direct opposition to Cantwell in this game.

Sunderland arrived at this fixture without a victory in three games. Jim Baxter had recovered from a minor knock and took his place in the half-back line at Jim McNab's expense. Jim Montgomery was still recovering from his broken ankle sustained in October, so Sandy McLaughan continued in goal. Strapping centre forward youth prospect Gary Moore came in for the unfortunate Nic Sharkey (whose face did not seem to fit despite his goals).

Traditionally these pre-Christmas fixtures often saw a dip in attendance as money and shopping expeditions impacted, but there was a healthy crowd, (including a good number of United fans) of just under 35,000 in a noisy Roker Park as the game kicked off.

It was the Red Devils who were on the attack in the first few minutes of the game, with Hurley under pressure twice in a minute, but helped out by Harvey and then Ashurst. George Herd then snapped into a timely challenge on Law before he could get a shot away.

George Best, a player who ran quicker with the ball than with out it, (he was electric) then weaved right to left wing forcing two corners in quick succession. The second of these corners saw a break-away by Sunderland led by champion sprinter Mike Hellawell. The raid was brought to a brutal end as Nobby Stiles took the flying winger out at the ankles to earn a free-kick and a lecture from the referee as treatment was administered on the pitch.

Hellawell was carried from the pitch with the game only three minutes old! Down to ten men whilst the injury was assessed, Sunderland had the temerity to take the lead.

On five minutes, Neil Martin beat Stiles to the ball and holding off the challenge of another defender he blasted a left-foot shot from the edge of the box that beat Dunne all-ends-up. What a cracking goal this was and Roker Park was bouncing in acknowledgement.

United hit back strongly with Connelly beating George Herd and sending a cross that Dennis Law got a right boot too, as his shot was deflected for a corner.

Substitute Dave Elliott took the field in place of Hellawell, which saw a change in positions as Baxter moved up and Elliott went to half-back.

It was not just Stiles who was throwing his weight around, David Herd was spoken to by the referee for a foul on Len Ashurst. The free-kick saw Gary Moore cleverly deflect the ball to George Herd, who timed his cross perfectly for the on-rushing Moore to head powerfully, but unfortunately straight into the arms of Dunne, who knew very little about it!

Moore was at it again a couple of minutes later, this time collecting an awkward header from Martin on the right wing, his cross looked to be heading toward an unmarked George Mulhall, lurking with intent at the far post. Tony Dunne got a toe to the cross to knock it out for a corner.

On fifteen minutes the Red Devils drew level. Stiles won the ball from Martin on the half-way line and fed the advancing Best. The "fifth Beatle" appeared to stumble but inadvertently beat his marker and resisting a further challenge he drove the ball past McLaughan from eighteen yards out.

Once again Sunderland responded to the set-back with an excellent move. Ashurst found Baxter with a good pass. With space opening up in front of him, Baxter galloped forward and struck a glorious shot from the edge of the box with his right foot. It was a bated breath moment as the ball sailed forward but clipped the bar and went out for a bye-kick.

Sunderland were on top at this stage in the contest, with Moore and Martin having storming games up front, terrorising the United back line. This dominance was broken when United broke away with Connelly. His quick-first time cross found Charlton who caught the ball with a sweet volley, it looked a goal all the way. Not to Sandy McLaughan though, as he pulled off a fantastic save at the foot of his post.

Hurley then found Martin after Best had been penalised for off-side. Martin was barged to the ground and appeared to have a good case for a penalty, but none was given!

Right after the penalty incident and typically, United went ahead.

Bobby Charlton switched to the right wing and broke clear to smash a hard low cross that Best got on the end of as he ghosted into the box and blast the ball past McLaughan from eight yards out.

Yet again, undaunted by the reverse, Sunderland hit back. Baxter fed Ashurst with a sumptuous pass. His cross was met by Martin who hit a powerful angled drive that Pat Dunne just got a fingertip to, deflecting the ball for a corner.

The resultant corner led to an almighty ruckus in the box as Hurley created mayhem. Stiles just managed to clear the ball for another corner as Sunderland pressed.

Right on half-time another corner from Mulhall saw Ashurst well placed on the edge of the box, place his lob directly into Pat Dunne's arms.

What a first half it had been, three good goals and some great football.

As the second half resumed Dave Elliott got a robust but timely challenge in on Charlton as he was shaping to shoot after good play down United's left by Law, Connelly and Best.

Sunderland enjoyed a period of dominance as Baxter, Herd and Mulhall moved the ball around the United half of the field with accuracy, with Moore and Martin continuing to concern the Manchester defence.

On sixty minutes a crude tackle on Moore by an increasingly frustrated Foulkes saw the youngster carried from the field and unable to resume. Sunderland would play the last half hour down to ten men.

The Lads responded to the set-back again, forcing two dangerous corners in quick succession, making it clear to United that they were not going to go down without a fight.

It was the Red Devils who increased their lead on sixty-five minutes as Pat Crerand got the ball on the right wing and sent in a hard low cross that beat everybody except Dave Herd unmarked at the back post, he had the easiest of jobs to tap in for Man United's third goal of the game.

Heads might have reasonably dropped but did not. With the crowd roaring them on, Sunderland responded with effort and no shortage of skill.

A vicious right foot drive by Charlton almost put the game out of reach, the shot hit Irwin who knew little about it and cannoned up onto the bar to safety.

On seventy-five minutes came probably the best goal of the game.

George Herd was strong in the tackle and came through two challenges before sending a glorious cross to Neil Martin standing approximately ten yards out. He towered above his marker and powered a header past a stranded Pat Dunne to lift the net and light a touch paper for the last fifteen minutes.

A minute later George Herd again wriggled past two defenders on the right and sent another inviting cross in the direction of Martin, but the ball just evaded him as United breathed a huge sigh of relief.

The game might have seen a goal from either team as it drew to a frantic close, with Mulhall drawing a fantastic save from Pat Dunne, but Manchester United took the points as both teams were applauded off the park.

Argus headline in the Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail proclaimed, "Roker Men Go Down But Gallantly." It was an honourable defeat, with Neil Martin player-of-the-match closely followed by Moore and Herd as well as Baxter who loved playing against the "big boys."

Manchester United went on to finish fourth, ten points behind champions and Bill Shankly inspired Liverpool. Sunderland finished a disappointing nineteenth. Despite their good start to the season and a reasonably impressive home form, they fell away badly.

The purchase of Baxter and Neil Martin should have been a springboard to better things. Baxter was a world class footballer and Martin was a classy forward who would go on to score forty-six goals in his ninety-nine appearances for the Lads.

He was one of a small number of Scots to score more than a hundred goals in both the English and Scottish top divisions. (Coincidentally Joe Baker was also part of that small band who also played for Sunderland and Hibernian).

Behind the scenes, all was not well. A dressing room was beginning to divide with Baxter in one corner and Hurley in the other. Manager Ian McColl was either unwilling or unable to curb the excesses of Baxter and was also accused of implementing an anti-Catholic policy as players such as Nic Sharkey suffered exclusion despite performing.

On this day though, Sunderland had pulled out a credible performance in the face of adversity and earned the respect of their fans, the press, and the opposition, despite the loss.