On This Day (25th December 1950): Tommy Wright's Christmas Cracker!
Yesterday at 01:00 AM
Relegation was more of a concern for Sunderland going into the festive period — could we turn things around on Christmas Day?
Sunderland approached the festive period in 19th position in Division One, with a tough schedule of four games in eight days, including a Christmas day at Roker Park, Boxing day at Old Trafford double against high flying Manchester United.
A win against Liverpool at Roker Park on the 23rd of December had lifted a bit of the gloom as the Lads headed into this fixture trying to do something they had not done all season by winning back-to-back games!
Sunderland were not without selection difficulties, talisman Len Shackleton and the under-rated left wing flyer Tommy Reynolds had both been out injured for a number of weeks. Ivor Broadis had also been injured and absent for the previous four games, he was deemed not fit enough for this fixture but would return the following day at Old Trafford.
Manchester United arrived in very good form and having a good tilt at the title. Manager Matt Busby had assembled a squad full of international players such as Tommy Brogan, John Aston (snr), Johnny Carey, England forwards Jack Rowley and Stan Pearson. In goal was highly rated record signing (£11,000) Reg Allen.
A festive and boisterous crowd of over 40,000 had braved the cold and left their turkey and Christmas pud' to see if the Lads could follow up the Liverpool victory, as well as get a look at the potential title winners.
Hopes of the majority in Roker Park were dented within two minutes of kick-off ! A United free kick was floated into the box and totally misjudged by Easington born Bill Walsh as it sailed over his head and landed fortuitously at the feet of John Aston, lurking at the far post. Despite having Arthur Hudgell at his back, Aston controlled the ball and turned in one movement to smack the ball past Mapson in the Sunderland goal.
If hopes were dented and anxieties raised, it only took another three minutes for Sunderland to get back on level terms. The robust Trevor Ford had been typically putting himself about up front and drew a free kick just outside the box having been sandwiched by two United defenders in a fairly crude challenge. Up stepped Scottish international right-wing Tommy Wright, who hit a curling free kick that was misjudged by Allen as he rose too late to the ball and could only fist it into the back of his goal.
The frost-bound pitch was making flowing football almost impossible, with the rest of the half being littered with mis-control, errors and failed attempts from both teams. It also looked as if Welsh international Trevor Ford was carrying a knock, and with no substitute (these were not allowed untill 1965/66 season), he was soldiering on.
The second half saw Sunderland get a better handle on the conditions. With Willie Watson and Tommy Wright holding their width, and the team playing a much simpler, more direct style of football the Lads gained the upper hand, all they needed was the next goal . On sixty-two minutes the crowd got their wish.
Willie Watson received a pass out of defence and set away down the left flank. He pinged an accurate cross to Dickie Davis, who took the ball on the volley and smashed it goalward. More in the road than saving, the ball cannoned off keeper Allen straight to Tommy Wright who blasted it into the back of the net from eighteen yards, for his second of the game. It was a fantastic sequence of football and on the balance of play, well deserved.
Sunderland kept the much-vaunted Red Devils attack well away from their goal , with centre-half Bill Walsh and half-back Tommy McLain in particular having very good second halves.
Having managed comfortably to retain the lead, there was a real scare in the last minute of the game. United half back Don Gibson (Matt Busby's son-in-law) left his defensive duties and hit a piledriver from just inside the box. JohnnyMapson, made a splendid dive and just managed to get a fist to the ball, sending it more upward than away from his goal. As the ball was dropping it looked like Aston was favourite to get his second of the game as he steamed in. With remarkable agility Mapson arched his back and managed to get another touch, deflecting the ball away from the on-rushing forward. The save drew huge applause and this carried on as the game was drawn to a close and the players left the field.
Two victories in successive games was a nice Christmas present for all the Rokerites and took the Lads up to the relative security of sixteenth in the table, the highest they had been since the start of the season. There was no doubt too that they had dented the title hopes of the Red Devils who would be looking for revenge and to get their campaign back on the right track at Old Trafford the following day.
Could Sunderland make it three wins on the trot or would Busby's title pretenders prevail? Tune in to tomorrows On This Day , to find out what happened in a fantastic game at Old Trafford.
Division One
Date - 25/12/1950.
Venue - Roker Park
Attendance - 41,215
Sunderland 2 - 1 Manchester United
Goal scorers - John Aston 2 mins; Tommy Wright 5 & 62 mins.
Sunderland - Johnny Mapson; Jack Hedley; Arthur Hudgell; Tommy McLain; Bill Walsh; Arthur Wright; Tommy Wright; Harry Kirtley; Trevor Ford; Dickie Davis; Willie Watson.
Manchester United - Reg Allen; Johnny Carey; Bill McGlen; Don Gibson; Allenby Chilton; Henry Cockburn; Cliff Birkett; Stan Pearson; John Aston; Brian Birch; Jack Rowley.
