Date: Saturday, 27^th April 1968.

Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester.

Competition: FA Cup Semi-Final.

Score: Everton 1 Leeds United 0

Scorers: Everton: Morrisey (pen). Leeds United: Nil.

Attendance: 63,000.

Teams:

Leeds United: Sprake; Reaney, Cooper; Bremner, Charlton, Hunter; Lorimer, Madeley, Jones, Giles, Gray (Greenhoff).

Everton: West; Wright, Wilson; Jackson, Labone, Harvey; Husband (Young), Kenyon, Royle, Kendall, Morrisey.

Referee: Mr D.W. Smith (Stonehouse, Gloucestershire).

United had great hopes of becoming the first team to reach both the League Cup and FA Cup Finals in the same year. They had cruised past Derby County at the Baseball Ground in the Third Round with Jack Charlton and Peter Lorimer netting without response from the home team. The Fourth Round had seen United get past Nottingham Forest 2-1 with goals from Mick Jones and Johnny Giles, followed by home victories over Bristol City by two goals to nil, thanks to goals from Mick Jones and Peter Lorimer, while Paul Madeley scored the goal which was sufficient to beat Sheffield United at the Quarter-Final Stage to ensure an Old Trafford date with Everton in the Semi-Final.

Unfortunately, United lost 1-0, in a game which hinged on one incident. It was one of Gary Sprake’s well documented howlers in a career which showed many United victories had been won because of his brilliance. It was thought that he had been given a torrid time by the burly bustling Joe Royle and he might have been more intent on following through on the Everton centre-forward rather than getting good distance on his clearance. Whatever the case, two minutes before half-time of an extremely tight match, he miscued his kick and it only went twenty yards, right into the path of Jimmy Husband. The Everton forward could not believe his luck and he gladly shot towards an unguarded goal. Jack Charlton was left with little option other than to handle to prevent the ball entering the net and a penalty resulted. Johnny Morrissey scored from the spot and United were out and their dream of a double Wembley appearance was not to be.

United almost drew level immediately through Terry Cooper, who had already forced a superb save from Gordon West with a splendid thirty-yard drive. This time he raced through with the ball for thirty yards and hammered a terrific shot against the bar with Gordon West left groping at thin air. Everton, whose midfielders Colin Harvey and Howard Kendall looked the most composed men on the pitch, should have made the game safe when Jimmy Husband shot weakly wide when well placed. Leeds were having difficulty breaking down an Everton defence in which Brian Labone was outstanding, although the introduction of Jimmy Greenhoff, after sixty-three minutes, did pep up the United attack. Greenhoff almost scored with his first touch, sending a shot just over the bar, and gradually United forced Everton back as their attacks gained more weight. Joe Royle was left upfield on his own as the Toffees packed their defence to combat the growing United ascendency. West did exceptionally well to keep out a Peter Lorimer special from twenty yards and Jack Charlton joined the forwards as Billy Bremner drove his men on.

But time was against Leeds and Everton hung on to reach their seventh Final, leaving United to swallow the bitter pill of their second successive FA Cup Semi-Final defeat. United had a fine season, finishing fourth in the League, five points behind champions Manchester City and one point better off than Everton, who they did the double over. They won the League Cup and the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and were beaten Semi-Finalists in the FA Cup. A great season by any other team’s standard.

Match Action:

Team:

Leeds United 1967-68:

Back Row: Paul Madeley, Alan Peacock, Jack Charlton, Norman Hunter, Mike O’Grady.

Middle Row: Rod Johnson, Rod Belfitt, Willie Bell, Gary Sprake, David Harvey,

Albert Johanesson, Eddie Gray.

Front Row: Johnny Giles, Jimmy Greenhoff, Paul Reaney, Terry Cooper, Billy Bremner,

Mick Bates, Terry Hibbitt, Peter Lorimer.

Everton 1967-68:

Back Row: (Trainer) Joe Royle, Brian Labone, Gordon West, Geoff Burnett, John Hurst,

Roger Kenyon, Harry Catterick (Manager).

Middle Row: Ray Wilson, Tommy Wright, Alan Ball, Alex Young, Jimmy Husband,

Howard Kendall, Johnny Morrissey.

Front Row: Alan Whittle, Colin Harvey.

Players:

Jimmy Husband’s shot was handled by Jack Charlton. Johnny Morrissey scored

from the spot.

Everton:

Gordon West	Sandy Brown	Tommy Wright
Ray Wilson/p>	Howard Kendall	Brian Labone
Colin Harvey	Johnny Morrisey	Jimmy Husband
Alan Ball	Joe Royle	Derek Temple
Mike Trebilcock	Alex Young	John Hurst	Roger Kenyon

The Classic Leeds United:

Gary Sprake	Paul Reaney	Terry Cooper
Billy Bremner	Jack Charlton	Norman Hunter
Peter Lorimer	Paul Madeley	Mick Jones
Johnny Giles	Eddie Gray	Mike O'Grady
Rod Belfitt	Terry Hibbitt	Jimmy Greenhoff	Mick Bates