Wednesday, January 20, 1965 League Cup, Semi-final, 1st leg
Leicester City 3, Argyle 2
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Injury problems forced Malcolm Allison to include three teenagers
in the line-up at Filberts Street.
Back: Duncan Neale, Tony Book, Noel Dwyer, Johnny Williams, Mike
Reeves
Front: Dave Corbett, Mike Trebilcock, Johnny Newman, Richard Reynolds,
Glyn Nicholas, Norman Piper.
The programme line-up (below) indicates what the full-strength
team might have been.
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Argyle did more than anyone reasonably expected to set up an evenly-poised
return leg at Home Park. Their injury-ravaged line-up minus Barrie Jones,
Nicky Jennings, Cliff Jackson, Keith Sanderson and Frank Lord came within
just four minutes of holding the First Division side to a draw.
Referee Dick Windle looked as if he was ready to penalise Mike Stringfellow
for a handling offence before he crossed the ball for Dave Gibson to snatch
the winner. But he gave the winger the benefit of the doubt -much to the
annoyance of the plucky Pilgrims.
The
comment 'We put up a great show' from Manager Malcolm Allison was no
exaggeration. He drafted in three youngsters -and centre-forward Richard
Reynolds, inside-left Norman Piper and left-winger Glyn Nicholas, in his
first senior appearance, were all a credit to him.
Piper, pulled back as an extra defender, was outstanding. The swift
interchanging and enthusiasm of Reynolds and Nicholas brought panic into the
heart of the Leicester defence and Dave Corbett, deputising for Jones, ran
himself to a standstill.
The
whole team covered themselves with glory. They never stopped chasing and
working to make up for their lack of experience, and visibly rattled
Leicester with their pace and zest.
Nicholas beat Gordon Banks in one of Argyle's opening raids but it didn't
count, and the England goalkeeper rescued Leicester with a flying save from
Mike Trebilcock.
Banks, however, was powerless to prevent a 25-yard screamer from Johnny
Williams from scorching into the roof of his net to give the West Country
side a stunning 35th minute lead. Williams could not have unleashed a more
spectacular goal among his vast collection of long-range specials, and
certainly not against a goalkeeper of Banks' repute.
But
tragedy befell the unlucky Williams in the 58th minute when he was credited
with Leicester's equaliser. Undaunted Argyle were back in front within two
minutes. Nicholas, so close to a debut goal when Len Chalmers cleared his
attempt off the line after a super-charged run by Corbett, was amply
compensated when Trebilcock pounced on the loose ball to rifle it home.
There
was also an element of misfortune about Leicester's second equaliser in the
69th minute. Bobby Roberts found the net but needed the help of a cruel
deflection to beat Noel Dwyer.
Then
came Leicester's late surge and the fortuitous winner. It still wasn't
enough to dent the pride of Plymouth's performance or stifle the praise
heaped on them by Leicester's own manager, Matt Gillies, and the many First
Division bosses watching in the stand.
Leicester:
Banks; Chalmers, Norman, McDerment, Sjoberg, Appleton, Goodfellow, Roberts,
Cross, Gibson, Stringfellow.
Argyle: Dwyer;
Book, Reeves, Neale, Newrnan, Williams, Corbett, Trebilcock, Reynolds,
Piper, Nicholas.
Scorers:
Leicester - Williams (og), Roberts, Gibson; Argyle - Williams,
Trebilcock
Referee: Mr.
R. Windle (Chesterfield)
Attendance:
12,470
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About GoS
Now in its 26th year, and
When TSWFTA sent me this clip as a sample of their archive,
there was no clue what it was, not even a date. I've played it
over and over again trying to piece together the small clues
within. The shape of the roofs, not Home Park (but where?),
recognisable players (who played together in what games
with what numbers?), the opposition keeper with a certain
familiar style. I'm almost certain now that it's this game, away to
Leicester City at Filbert Street in the semi-final of the League Cup,
the first time in the club's history that they'd made it so
close to the big time.