BBC SPORT | FA CUP | 1953 - The Matthews final
Thursday, 10 May, 2001, 09:47 GMT 10:47 UK
1953 - The Matthews final
Click on the dates above for a tour around some of the greatest FA Cup finals in football history.
Stan Mortensen grabbed Wembley's first FA Cup final hat-trick, but even he had to concede centre stage to Blackpool team-mate Stanley Matthews.
Britain's best-loved footballer had tried and failed on two occasions to get his hands on a winner's medal but, at the age of 38, this finally proved to be his year.
Bolton's newly-crowned footballer of the year Nat Lofthouse maintained his record of scoring in every round as early as the second minute with a soft shot that eluded goalkeeper George Farm.
Johnson (left) and Matthews are saluted after their triumph
Mortensen levelled with a deflected cross-shot but Bobby Langton's chip and a header from Eric Bell, reduced to a virtual passenger due to a torn hamstring, put Bolton in total control.
Then, suddenly, Matthews sprung into life, turning on the magic to expose Bell and the tiring Ralph Banks down the right wing.
Blackpool fed Matthews at every opportunity and he responded by setting up Mortensen for his second 20 minutes from time and then again for the equaliser with just two minutes left.
With Bolton on the verge of collective collapse, Matthews continued to dominate and, deep into stoppage time, set up South African winger Bill Perry to crack home the winner.
Even Lofthouse stood and applauded.
FA Cup Final 1953
Blackpool 4-3 Bolton
Scorers:
Blackpool:
Mortensen 35, 68, 89; Perry 92.
Bolton: Lofthouse 2, Moir 40, Bell 55
HT: 1-2
Att: 100,000
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