Image

LFC STATS / A Independent Liverpool Football Club Website

FA Cup Final Winners 1988-1989


Back to FA Cup Stats

FA Cup Final - Wembley - Saturday 10th May 1989
Liverpool 3-2 Everton

 Liverpool - (Rush 2,  Aldridge)  Grobbelaar, Ablett, Staunton (Venison), Nicol, Whelan, Hansen, Beardsley,
 Aldridge (Rush), Houghton, Barnes, McMahon
 Everton - (McCall 2)  Southall, McDonald, Van De Hauwe, Ratcliffe, Watson, Bracewell (McCall), Nevin,
 Steve, Sharp, Cottee, Sheedy (Wilson)
 Referee:  J Worrall
 Attendance:  82,500



MATCH REPORT

No two teams could have lent more to an extraordinary occasion. It had been said that it did not matter who won this year because of what had happened a few weeks earlier at Hillsborough. Liverpool and Everton gave the lie to that excuse for continuing with the Cup, yet did so with a style which offered no affront to sensitivity.

Liverpool went out to play some of the finest football ever seen in this country. John Aldridge's goal after four minutes was a living evocation of the intelligent running and precision passing which is the hallmark of England's outstanding team. Everton were down to Southall and the best goalkeeper in the country, perhaps in Europe, maybe the world, did not disappoint them. Welsh Neville worked his miracles, encouraged Everton to stave off the inevitable and kept them in contention.

For a long time, Southall was Everton's one man team. Then Colin Harvey sent on reinforcement in the shape of Stuart McCall and the substitute plundered the equaliser even as they were tying red ribbons round the old trophy. Kenny Dalglish was no manager's fool. At his permanent standing position on the touchline he knew the risk entailed in failing to turn superiority into goals.

At a small cost of £2.8million last summer, he had availed himself of a luxurious remedy for just such an emergency. Ian Rush had replaced Aldridge late enough in normal time to be fresh and full of sprinting in extra time, he was to turn the game. First he turned a pass rich in Nicol's versatility into a goal as brilliant and vital as any in his prolific career. Then, after McCall had launched his spectacular second equaliser on his way to becoming one of the unluckiest losers in Wembley history, Rush met a Barnes cross with a header as deft as it was decisive. That was that the ghosts of the year before and Wimbledon had been buried and the cup belonged to Liverpool once again.

Date : 07/01/1989 
Round : R3 
Match Summary : The Reds traveled to Carlisle in what was a potentially tricky FA Cup tie. After a strong start by Carlisle class started to show through and Peter Beardsley broke the deadlock before half time when he scored against one of his former clubs. Steve McMahon added two more after half time and the Reds were on their way to the next round. 
Liverpool 3 - Carlisle United 0
Attendance : 18,556
Team : Hooper, Ablett, Burrows, Nicol, Whelan, Molby, Beardsley, Aldridge, Houghton, Barnes, McMahon 
Scorers : Barnes (33), McMahon 2 (65, 84) 

Date : 29/01/1989 
Round : R4 
Match Summary : The fourth round game was switched for television purposes and the Reds came through unscathed to make the next round. Alex Watson came in to the side to cope with the aerial threat of Cascarino and Steve McMahon was recalled. A goal each for Rush and Aldridge settled the game convincingly enough and a fifth round visit to Hull was drawn out next. 
Liverpool 2 - Millwall 0
Attendance : 23,615
Team : Grobbelaar, Ablett, Burrows, Nicol, Whelan, Molby, Watson, Aldridge, Rush, Barnes, McMahon 
Scorers : Aldridge (57), Rush (63) 

Date : 18/02/1989 
Round : R5 
Match Summary : The Reds coped with an early enforced switch to Gillespie and took the lead at Boothferry Park only to fall behind 2-1 at half time. The Reds came out better in the second half though and a quick fire two goals in as many minutes from John Aldridge put the Reds back in the lead and they coped easily with anything else Hull had to throw at them. 
Liverpool 3 - Hull City 2
Attendance : 20,058
Team : Grobbelaar, Ablett, Burrows, Nicol (c), Gillespie (Watson 9), Molby, Beardsley, Aldridge, Houghton, Barnes, McMahon 
Scorers : Barnes (15), Aldridge 2 (52, 53) 

Date : 18/03/1989 
Round : R6 
Match Summary : A home draw for the Reds at last and potentially the easiest draw they could have asked for with Brentford the only non top division side left in the competition. The Reds came into a bit of form prior to this game and once they got a second goal the result was never in doubt. Steve McMahon put the Reds a goal up on fifteen minutes although it wasn't long after the away side gave the Reds a scare when they came close to scoring. Brentford kept this game really close in fairness but finally John Barnes weaved his magic. He went past three players before scoring and that finished the game off really. Peter Beardsley scored two more to give the game a flattering scoreline and the Reds were off to the semi finals. 
Liverpool 4 - Brentford 0
Attendance : 42,376
Team : Grobbelaar, Ablett, Staunton, Nicol, Whelan, Gillespie, Beardsley, Aldridge, Houghton, Barnes, McMahon 
Scorers : McMahon (15), Barnes (62), Beardsley 2 (79, 82) 

Date : 07/05/1989 
Round : Semi-Final 
Match Summary : The semi final was finally played almost a month after the fateful game at Hillsborough. From the off the Reds seemed destined to win this one. The Reds has 106 men on that pitch at Old Trafford. 11 players and ninety five fans who at the time had died. The game was set after just four minutes when John Aldridge scored and the fans were able to let out a huge roar. The Reds did ease off a little and Forest even nicked an equaliser via Neil Webb. The second half came and there was simply only one winner then as the Reds swept forward. John Aldridge scored a second before Brian Laws scored an oggie. He had a cheeky grin posted his way from Aldo at that point and the all Merseyside final was confirmed. Fate perhaps but the Reds had a desire that day to make sure that that game was won. The side owed it to the fans who so wanted to watch them win first time round. 
Liverpool 3 - Nottingham Forest 1
Attendance : 38,000
Team : Grobbelaar, Ablett, Staunton, Nicol, Whelan, Hansen, Beardsley, Aldridge, Houghton, Barnes, McMahon 
Scorers : Aldridge 2 (3, 58), OG - Laws (72)