FA Cup Final 1959

Nottingham Forest

(Dwight, Wilson)

Thompson, Whare, McDonald, Whitefoot, McKinlay, Burkitt, Dwight, Quigley, Wilson, Gray, Imlach

Luton Town

(Pacey)

Baynham, McNally, Hawkes, Groves, Owen, Pacey, Bingham, Brown, Morton, Cummins, Gregory

Referee: J Clough

Forest had come within an ace of losing to non‑League Tooting& Mitcham in the third round of the competition, drawing after being two goals down, but there have probably never been more worthy Final winners. Reduced to ten men after Dwight's injury on the half‑hour, they became the first side to win at Wembley with a depleted team. They were two goals up, after fourteen minutes and had established a moral superiority that even the loss of Dwight could not affect.

Forest settled quickly into their best form, and it came as no surprise when they took the lead in the tenth minute. Imlach, out on the left, feinted to cut inside, then beat McNally on the outside before pulling the ball back for Dwight to shoot into the top corner. Four minutes later the scene was repeated as Imlach centred perfectly for the unmarked Wilson to head past Baynham.

As the weight of numbers took its effect in the second half, Luton came more and more into the game and played much better football. Hawkes' hard cross into the goalmouth in the sixty‑second minute eluded several players before Pacey slammed the ball into the net to reduce Forest's lead.

In the last few minutes Forest were desperately kicking long balls upfield whenever possible, and, though Luton remained on the attack right up to the final whistle, the ten men stood firm.                                               

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Semi‑Final

LUTON T v Norwich C 1‑1, 1 ‑0; Aston Villa v NOTT'M FOREST 0‑1

Sixth Round

Blackpool v LUTON T 1 ‑1, 0‑1; Sheff Utd v Norwich C 1‑1, 2‑3; Aston Villa v Burnley 0‑0, 2‑0; NOTT'M FOREST v Bolton Wand 2‑1

Fifth Round

Ipswich T v LUTON T 2‑5, Blackpool v WBA 3‑1; Arsenal v Sheff Utd 2‑2,0‑3, Spurs v Norwich C 1‑ 1, 0‑1; Everton v Aston Villa 1‑4; Burnley v Portsmouth 1‑0; Bolton Wand v PNE 2‑2, 1‑1, 1‑0; Birmingham C v NOTT'M FOREST 1‑1, 1‑1, 0‑5

Fourth Round

Leicester C v LUTON T 1‑1, 1‑4; Stoke C v Ipswich T 0‑1; Bristol C v Blackpool 1 ‑1, 0‑1; WBA v Brentford 2‑0; Colchester Utd v Arsenal 2‑2, 0‑4; Worcester C v Sheff Utd 0‑2 Spurs v Newport Co 4‑1, Norwich C v Cardiff C 3‑2; Charlton Ath v Everton 2‑2, 1‑4; Chelsea v Aston Villa 1‑2; Blackburn R v Burnley 1‑2; Accrington S v Portsmouth 0‑0, 1‑4; Wolves v Bolton Wand 1‑2; PNE v Bradford C 3‑2; Birmingham C v Fulham 1‑1, 3‑2; NOTT'M FOREST v Grimsby T 4‑1

Third Round 

LUTON T v Leeds Utd 5‑1; Leicester C v Lincoln C 2‑2,2‑0; Stoke C v Oldham Ath 5‑1; Ipswich T v Huddersfield T 1 ‑0; Southampton v Blackpool 1‑2; Doncaster R v Bristol C 0‑2; Sheff Wed v WBA 0‑2; Brentford v Barnsley 2‑0; Colchester Utd v Chesterfield 2‑0; Bury v Arsenal 0‑1; Worcester C v Liverpool 2‑1; Sheff Utd v Crystal Palace 2‑0; Spurs v W. Ham 2‑0; Newport Co v Torquay Utd 0‑0, 1 ‑0, Norwich C v Man Utd 3‑0; Plymouth Arg v Cardiff C 0‑3; Bristol R v CharIton Ath 0‑4; Everton v Sunderland 4‑0; Newcastle Utd v Chelsea 1‑4; Aston Villa v Rotherham Utd 2‑1; Blackburn R v Leyton Orient 4‑2; Stockport Co v Burnley 1‑3, Accrington S v Darlington 3‑0; Portsmouth v Swansea T 3‑1; Barrow v Wolves 2‑4, Scunthorpe Utd v Bolton Wand 0‑2; Derby Co v PNE 2‑2, 2‑4; Brighton & H Alb v Bradford C 0‑2; Middlesbro v Birmingham C 0‑1; Fulham v Peterborough Utd 0‑0, 1 ‑0; Grimsby T v Man C 2‑2, 2‑1; Tooting & Mitcham v NOTT'M FOREST 2‑2, 0‑3