Good afternoon. What are we in for today? Will Coventry end their 104-year trophy drought and put their name on the FA Cup for the first time. Or will Chas and Dave be proved right? Seven times Tottenham have won the cup, and is number eight coming up? The bookies certainly think so, with Tottenham at 4/9 and Coventry 7/4.
But some feel that Coventry’s name may well be on the cup – manager John Sillett included – and although the team may lack Wembley experience, in Keith Houchen they have a man who seemingly can do no wrong in this competition. Either way, it should hopefully be entertaining; the last meeting between the clubs saw Coventry edge a seven-goal thriller.
Team news
No surprises for Tottenham with Chris Hughton getting the nod over Gary Stevens at right-back, as Glenn Hoddle plays his final match for the club. Sadly, Brian Borrows misses out due to an injury picked up in the final league match of the season, meaning David Phillips switches to right-back with Micky Gynn earning a place in the starting XI.
Tottenham (4-5-1) Clemence; Hughton, Thomas, Gough, Mabbutt; Waddle, Allen P, Ardiles, Hoddle, Hodge; Allen C.
Substitutes: Claesen, Stevens.
England (4-4-2) Ogrizovic; Phillips, Peake, Kilcline, Downs; Bennett, McGrath, Gynn, Pickering; Regis, Houchen.
Substitutes: Rodger, Sedgley.
1 min We’re off, the beautiful Wembley surface bathed in sunshine.
GOAL! Tottenham 1-0 Coventry (Allen C 2)
Well this should open the match up nicely. There’s a buzz already as Waddle gets the ball on the right, and he skins Downs before whipping in a cross for Clive Allen. The 48-goal man becomes the 49-goal man, getting in front of Peake to head Tottenham in front.
Well this should open the match up nicely. There’s a buzz already as Waddle gets the ball on the right, and he skins Downs before whipping in a cross for Clive Allen. The 48-goal man becomes the 49-goal man, getting in front of Peake to head Tottenham in front.
“Would you believe it?” John Motson asks. Well, anything Allen does this season is not surprising. He’s enjoyed a better start to this final in comparison to five years ago, when he was injured early on. Coventry look dazed.
5 min Tottenham may have started in superb fashion, but there seems to be a bit of a wardrobe malfunction on their behalf. Modelling a new kit, it appears as if some of their players are wearing shirts without the name of their sponsors on them. All very odd.
7 min Coventry finally starting to string a few passes together. Tottenham fans asking if Arsenal are watching and, if they are, informing them that they like to win the “proper cup”.
GOAL! Tottenham 1-1 Coventry (Bennett 9)
We have a match on our hands here. A Downs cross is flicked on by Houchen, and Dave Bennett nips in front of Clemence before side-footing home an equaliser. Possible question marks over the reaction time of Clemence, but credit to Bennett, another goal scorer today trying to right the wrong of his previous FA Cup final appearance.
“This is the best start to an FA Cup final for many years,” Motson declares, and it’s hard to disagree.
11 min Clemence’s shaky start continues, as he spills a straightforward cross from Houchen, before Hughton hacks the loose ball away.
14 min Waddle looks like he is up for this today. Downs has his hands full for the rest of the afternoon.
19 min Pickering fouls Hoddle outside the box, and Waddle’s free kick looks dangerous off the bat. But it’s too high and Ogrizovic is happy to see it go over the bar.
22 min Regis heads past Clemence, but referee Midgley has spotted a shove by Houchen on Thomas, and the goal is rightfully disallowed.
27 min Breathless stuff, as a Tottenham corner ends in the hands of Ogrizovic, who launches a counterattack with a quick throw to Bennett. Coventry win a couple of corners on the back of this, but these come to nothing.
30 min My word! What was Ogrizovic doing there? Fancying himself as a Bruce Grobbelaar tribute act, the Coventry keeper dribbles outside his box before clearing straight to Hoddle. Fortunately, Peake intercepts the shot, but in trying to roll it back to the keeper Allen sneaks in before finding the side-netting. Unusually erratic behaviour from Oggy there.
32 min Waddle surges through the midfield before firing a shot straight at Ogrizovic.
34 min See 32 min.
35 min Coventry come close. Regis beats Gough to the ball in his own half and sets Gynn free. The diminutive midfielder gets his shot away which is well saved by Clemence. Encouraging signs for the Sky Blues.
37 min A Steve Hodge cross almost catches out Ogrizovic, but the keeper manages to push the ball over the bar for a corner.
38 min Regis and Houchen have enjoyed a lot of success aerially today, and a header from the latter gives Pickering half a chance from a Downs free kick. But it’s a weak effort.
GOAL! Tottenham 2-1 Coventry (Mabbutt 40)
Pickering fouls Paul Allen on the touchline, allowing Hoddle to swing in a gorgeous free kick that leaves Ogrizovic in no man’s land. Kilcline and Mabbutt challenge for the ball and somehow it ends up in the back of the net. The BBC have given that to the Tottenham centre back, but I have a feeling that Coventry’s skipper got the last touch.
43 min I think Jimmy Hill is being a bit harsh on Ogrizovic for Tottenham’s second goal. Hoddle’s delivery into the corridor of uncertainty was superb, and as a member of the Goalkeepers’ Union I have every sympathy with Oggy on that one.
45 min Half a chance again for Pickering, but Gough gets in a great block. I don’t want this half to come to an end.
Half time: Tottenham 2-1 Coventry
That was a thrilling first half, end-to-end in patches, and both teams having spells on top. Tottenham probably just shaded things, though, but Coventry are by no means out of this.
49 min Great work from Gynn down Coventry’s right almost sets up Houchen in the Tottenham’s area, but the FA Cup specialist can’t quite stretch far enough to get the ball under control. In keeping with the pattern of the match, Tottenham then break, Hoddle finding Clive Allen who lets fly with an ambitious effort that sails over the bar.
54 min Waddle again causing problems down the right, but Ogrizovic beats Clive Allen to the cross and the danger is averted.
60 min Motson has made a very good point, that the relentless nature of the first half and the heat at pitch level may well see the pace drop from now on. Let’s hope not.
61 min A great moment of comedy there, as Peake and Clive Allen try their best to impersonate Torvill and Dean. Battling for the ball, the pair end up linking arms, with Tottenham’s forward hitching a ride on Peake’s back. Applause ripples around Wembley as we await the judges scores.
GOAL! Tottenham 2-2 Coventry (Houchen 63)
You’ll never guess who has just gone and cemented his love affair with the FA Cup. Yes, that man Houchen again. A long punt from Ogrizovic finds Regis, who feeds Bennett on the right. He manufactures enough room for himself to curl in a delicious cross that begs to be finished. And that is exactly what Houchen does, flinging himself full-length to score with a diving header that will go down in FA Cup final folklore.
67 min What an atmosphere, as Russ Abbott once sung. Both sets of fans finding their voices, as the excellent Lloyd McGrath beats Hoddle to the ball and sets Houchen free. Good defending from Thomas sends the Coventry striker wide, though.
69 min Paul Allen warms the palms of Ogrizovic at his near post. I’ve absolutely no idea who is going to win this.
70 min He almost did it again. A good cross from Phillips was nodded towards the foot of the post by Houchen, and Clemence does well to get down and keep it out.
71 min Coventry are really beginning to believe here, Regis strong, Gynn buzzing around and Bennett flourishing down the right, as they force a corner that is cleared.
79 min McGrath continues to follow Hoddle around the Wembley turf, as Hodge does well on the right and puts in a decent cross towards Clive Allen. Kilcline does enough to put off his opponent and Midgley awards a goal kick, much to the annoyance of Allen.
81 min A long range effort from Waddle has Ogrizovic scrambling slightly, but it took a nick off Gynn on the way and goes for a corner. I wouldn’t mind an extra half hour of this.
82 min Regis forces his way into the box but can’t quite get the ball out of his feet to get a shot away. Clemence gratefully collects.
83 min A fine run from Waddle sees him drive into the penalty area, but he slightly over runs the ball much to the relief of the Coventry back four.
84 min Ouch! Mabbutt, moving forwards smoothly, is upended by Kilcline sending the Tottenham player flying through the air in an area of the pitch not a million miles away from where Peter Reid performed a similar move in 1985. Kilcline is lucky not to go into the book here, although he does look like he has come off worse than Mabbutt in that exchange.
88 min Clive Allen goes close. A good turn from the Tottenham man on the corner of the six-yard box sees him fire an effort towards goal which Ogrizovic saves well with his right foot.
89 min Kilcline has paid the price for that tackle on Mabbutt, limping off as he makes way for Graham Rodger. Trevor Peake, who has been one of many superb players today, takes over the captaincy.
Full time: Tottenham 2-2 Coventry
We’re going to extra time again in an FA Cup final. Coventry may well be the happier team; Tottenham twice in the lead and unable to hold on, in echoes of their Littlewoods Cup semi-final against Arsenal. Will the Tottenham doubts return?
91 min Nice to hear Coventry fans belting out the Go for It FA Cup final song that was performed with gusto by the squad on Blue Peter recently. Hotshot Tottenham may be higher in the charts, but personally I prefer Coventry’s effort. Please don’t judge me.
94 min Hodge zigzags his way across from the left before a good block from Downs thwarts the attack.
95 min Gough gets caught under a Phillips cross, Pickering crosses but Bennett’s header doesn’t reach Houchen. Worrying times for Tottenham fans there.
GOAL! Tottenham 2-3 Coventry (Mabbutt o.g. 96)
Is this the goal that wins Coventry the FA Cup? Rodger brilliantly drops his shoulder in his own half before releasing McGrath down the right in acres of space. His cross deflects off Mabbutt’s left shin/knee and loops agonisingly over a despairing Clemence. Coventry are this close to winning a major trophy.
In response, David Pleat sends on Nico Claesen for Hughton.
100 min A dangerous cross from Hoddle is expertly dealt with by Peake. He has been a rock today. Coventry break, and Gynn draws a foul from Gough on the edge of the Tottenham box. The free kick is blocked.
101 min Bennett puts Houchen through, but Clemence pulls off a good save. Tottenham are on the ropes here, their promising season drifting towards a trophyless conclusion, unless they can find the reserves to force a replay.
104 min Bennett nutmegs Thomas on the corner of the box but delays getting his shot away. The action moves swiftly towards the other end of the pitch, as Waddle is stopped in his tracks by Rodger, who has looked the part since replacing Kilcline.
Extra time, half time: Tottenham 2-3 Coventry
Are we in for any more dramatic twists in this thrilling afternoon?
111 min Graham Rodger continues to excel, now morphing into Franz Beckenbauer before our very eyes. Taking the ball into Tottenham’s half, Rodger lets Bennett take over, the Coventry wide man winning a free kick from Mabbutt. Downs’ effort is charged down.
112 min Gynn sees his 20-yard attempt drift wide. Coventry are on the front foot here, and I don’t want to tempt fate, but Tottenham appear to be running on empty.
113 min Stevens shows good energy down the right and delivers a cross into the box for Clive Allen. The forward takes a good touch, yet his left foot shot is half scuffed/blocked, and Ogrizovic collects.
114 min Hoddle plays a ball into Coventry’s penalty area towards Claesen, only for Peake to nod the ball away from the Belgian and back to his keeper. Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Trevor Peake has been Ashford and Simpson this afternoon (Solid, just in case you are unaware of the 1985 mega hit).
115 min A Waddle pass ends up in the hands of Ogrizovic. The wide man often gives the impression that he is permanently knackered, yet he can be excused today as we get close to the two-hour mark.
116 min Mabbutt gives the ball to Bennett who puts Gynn through. The midfielder goes wide of Clemence and gets a shot away, but the Spurs keeper gets down to keep the goal bound shot out. He’s kept Tottenham in the match there.
118 min Paul Allen puts in a cracking cross, but a Coventry head clears. Not sure if that was Peake or Rodger; it could be either, as they have both been brilliant today. Motson reminds us that Coventry Vice Chairman Ted Stocker is about to bag £50,000; he placed £1,000 on Coventry to win the FA Cup last October, at 50/1. Get the Holstens in!
120 min Regis and Bennett do well to run down the clock, although there is still time for Hoddle to put one last ball into the Coventry box. But the pass runs through to Ogrizovic and we’re almost done.
COVENTRY HAVE WON THE FA CUP! Full time: Tottenham 2-3 Coventry
Congratulations to Coventry City; 1987 FA Cup winners. The very likeable pair of John Sillett and George Curtis said their club’s name was on the trophy and it now will be forevermore. Tottenham played their part in an excellent match today, yet that will be little consolation for Pleat and his men who at one stage this season were hunting down a treble.
“The Sky Blues are sky high,” Motson states, as Brian Kilcline lifts the trophy skywards. This is yet another fine chapter in the history of this competition that just keeps on giving.
That’s all for today. I hope you’ve enjoyed the commentary. I’m off to the local park to perfect my Keith Houchen diving header.
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