Image

LFC STATS / A Independent Liverpool Football Club Website

FA Cup Final Winners 1985-1986


Back to FA Cup Stats

FA Cup Final - Wembley - Saturday 10th May 1986
Liverpool 3-1 Everton

 Liverpool - (Rush 2, Johnston)  Grobbelaar, Lawrenson, Beglin, Nicol, Whelan, Hansen, Dalglish, Johnston, Rush,  Molby, MacDonald.
 Everton - (Lineker)  Mimms, Stevens (Heath), van den Hauwe, Ratcliffe, Mountfield, Reid, Steben, Lineker,  Sharp, Bracewell, Sheedy.
 Referee:  A Robinson
 Attendance:  98,000



MATCH REPORT

How do they do it ? Liverpool looked dead and buried until the 57th minute.

Then they staged one of their typical revivals at Wembley to create all kinds of records.

They followed North London rivals Spurs and Arsenal as only the third club this century to win the League and Cup double.

Kenny Dalglish becomes the first player-manager to win the FA Cup and, the ultimate irony, Liverpool won it without a single Englishman.

They owed a tremendous debt to the remarkable Man-of-the-Match Ian Rush as he proved again that he is the finest marksman in the business with two clinical goals.

And, in between, he had a hand in the second goal when Craig Johnston put Liverpool ahead.

Everton of all teams, made the mistake of thinking they had Liverpool beaten and they paid the price.

Yet is is impossible not to feel sympathy for them after they dominated the first half, played some attractive football and grabbed a 28th minute lead.

It came, oddly enough, from an error by Dalglish who lost possession and was immediately punished as Peter Reid struck a superb 30 yard pass through Liverpool's defence.

Gary Lineker outpaced Alan Hansen to go clear, and though Bruce Grobbelaar blocked the first shot the England striker reacted in a flash to round the keeper and shoot home.

It was the kind of goal, Lineker's 40th for the club this season, which would have delighted absent England boss Bobby Robson.

Everton should have wrapped it up in the 10 minutes after half-time when Trevor Steven and Kevin Sheedy both fired tremendous shots just wide with Grobbelaar beaten.

But that was the turning point - and the great comeback was under way.

It started with a sloppy pass by Everton's Gary Stevens, Kevin MacDonald intercepted, slipped the ball to Jan Molby and the Dane sent Rush clear in the kind of position where he is absolutely deadly. Rush hardly checked his stride as he side-stepped young goalkeeper Bobby Mimms and slotted the ball home.

And Liverpool took command in their next attack after 63 minutes. This time Rush was the architect with a pass to Molby whose cross was missed by Dalglish right in front of goal only for the boss to be rescued as Johnston popped up on the far post to score.

Everton to their credit, tried an adventurous substitution in an attempt to pull the game round by replacing Stevens with Adrian Heath and played only three men at the back.

But, with just six minutes left, Molby and Ronnie Whelan carved open the Everton defence and there was the tall Welshman to easily beat the unprotected Mimms.

The cynics will say it was hardly a vintage Liverpool display but they have staged the revival act so often that I give them full credit. They won 11 of their last 12 League games to take the Championship and yesterday they had the front to give Everton a goal start.

Yet, early on, the Liverpool defence looked strangely hesitant with Lineker causing them all kinds of problems. Indeed, Lineker never stopped running from beginning to end and, after Liverpool had taken the

lead, he might have got a second goal from a well placed Sharp pass.

But Everton hardly deserve to finish the season empty-handed after producing so much bold and attractive football. Against any other side but their Mersey neighbours they might well have hit the Wembley jackpot but all the rules which apply to other teams never seem to work with Liverpool.

Date : 04/01/1986 
Round : R3 
Match Summary : The Reds were drawn to play Norwich City at Anfield. Norwich were in what was then Division 2 and would eventually be promoted that very season. Norwich turned up and the snow fell on the game but the Reds ran out convincing winners having restricted the away side to just one shot on goal all game. The game finished with a 5-0 Liverpool win. 
Liverpool 5 - Norwich City 0
Attendance : 29,082
Team : Grobbelaar, Nicol, MacDonald, Lawrenson, Whelan, Hansen, Walsh (Wark 64), Johnston, Rush, Molby, McMahon 
Scorers : MacDonald (23), Walsh (33), McMahon (73), Whelan (78), Wark (81) 

Date : 26/01/1986 
Round : R4 
Match Summary : The Reds faced a very tricky fourth round tie when they were drawn away to Chelsea. The Reds traveled down to the ground and came away with a two one victory in front of the television cameras. The next time the Reds visited Stamford Bridge they won the league championship. A future Red in David Speedie scored the Chelsea goal that day and Nigel Spackman, another future Red played in their midfield as the blues finished the game with ten men. 
Liverpool 2 - Chelsea 1
Attendance : 33,625
Team : Grobbelaar, Nicol, Beglin, Lawrenson, Whelan, Hansen, Walsh, Johnston, Rush, Molby, Gillespie 
Scorers : Rush (45), Lawrenson (47) 

Date : 15/02/1986 
Round : R5 
Match Summary : York City of the then third division were next up for the Reds and a potential banana skin tie at Bootham Crescent. The Reds had actually played York the season previous and drawn one each then. In fact the Reds were grateful for a Jan Molby spot kick midway through the second half. That spot kick ensured a replay of the game at Anfield. 
Liverpool 1 - York City 1
Attendance : 12,443
Team : Grobbelaar, Lee, Beglin, Lawrenson, Wark, Hansen, Dalglish, Johnston, Rush, Molby, Seagraves 
Scorers : Molby (pen 64) 

Date : 18/02/1986 
Round : R5r 
Match Summary : Back in the eighties cup replays were always held within the next midweek where possible and this was no exception. Just three days later the Reds took on York City again and ran out winners but only after extra-time at Anfield. Two goals in the first half of extra time made the final scoreline look flattering. The previous year the Reds had hammered York in a replay 7-0 but this one was different. 
Liverpool 3 - York City 1
Attendance : 29,362
Team : Grobbelaar, Lee, Beglin, Lawrenson, Whelan, Hansen, Dalglish, Wark (Johnston 73), Rush, Molby, Gillespie 
Scorers : Wark (19), Molby (94), Dalglish (98) 

Date : 11/03/1986 
Round : R6 
Match Summary : The Reds were drawn out against Watford in the Quarter Final draw at home and having beaten them twice in the league by this time already the Reds were confident of progressing through but the Hornet's had other ideas. An Anfield stalemate forced a replay. Watford fielded future Red John Barnes in their line-up. 
Liverpool 0 - Watford 0
Attendance : 36,775
Team : Grobbelaar, Lee (Johnston 67), Beglin, Lawrenson, Whelan, Hansen, Dalglish, Gillespie, Rush, Molby, McMahon 
Scorers :  

Date : 17/03/1986 
Round : R6r 
Match Summary : The Reds traveled to Vicarage Road aiming to win a place in the semi-final of the FA Cup. As in the last round it meant extra time was played to get the win but a two one win all the same although the Reds nearly left it too late in this one. John Barnes opened the scoring for Watford only to find it pegged back late on by a Molby spot-kick after Rush was brought down. Rush completed the win in the second period of extra-time. 
Liverpool 2 - Watford 1
Attendance : 28,097
Team : Grobbelaar, Gillespie, Beglin, Lawrenson, Whelan, Hansen, Dalglish, Johnston, Rush, Molby, McMahon 
Scorers : Molby (pen 86), Rush (108) 

Date : 05/04/1986 
Round : SF 
Match Summary : Southampton were the draw in the semi which kept the Reds and Blues of Merseyside apart. A long drive down to White Hart Lane for the Reds who should have came up against future Red Mark Wright that day. A broken leg victim though his place was taken by Kevin Bond. Like the last two rounds extra-time was required to finish this one but two goals in the first half of that extra time from Ian Rush ensured the Reds would be on their way to Wembley. 
Liverpool 2 - Southampton 0
Attendance : 44,605
Team : Grobbelaar, Gillespie, Beglin, Nicol, Whelan, Hansen, Dalglish, Johnston, Rush, Molby, McMahon (Wark) 
Scorers : Rush 2 (99, 104)