1953 British Home Championship

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The 1953 British Home Championship was a football tournament played between the British Home Nations throughout the 1952/53 football season. The tournament saw a last minute goal by Lawrie Reilly in the final game at Wembley which salvaged a draw and thus a share in the trophy for Scotland. England were the other winners whilst both Wales and Northern Ireland played well in a very competitive competition.

England began with a draw against a combatative Irish team in a game which finished 2-2. The Scots however were able to narrowly beat Wales in Cardiff, taking the lead after the first round. In the second games, Scotland and Northern Ireland played another score draw, keeping both sides tournament hopes alive, albeit behind England, who comprehensively beat Wales in their game. The final matches saw a battling Wales side defeat the Irish in Belfast, ending Northern Ireland's lively hopes for the trophy and gaining some pride in the two points necessary to match Northern Ireland. England and Scotland played out the final match knowing that the winner would take the trophy, but that a draw would share it between them as goal difference was not yet used to determine position. A very hotly contested game looked to be going England's way until the 90th minute when Reilly's late goal, his second of the game, gave half the trophy to Scotland.

[edit] Table

Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
Flag of England England 4 3 1 2 0 9 6 +3
Flag of Scotland Scotland 4 3 1 2 0 5 4 +1
Flag of Northern Ireland Northern Ireland 2 3 0 2 1 5 6 -1
Flag of Wales Wales 2 3 1 0 2 6 9 -3

The points system worked as follows:

  • 2 points for a win
  • 1 point for a draw

[edit] Results

October 4, 1952 Northern Ireland Flag of Northern Ireland 2–2 Flag of England England Windsor Park, Belfast
Charlie Tully 2 Nat Lofthouse, Billy Elliott

October 18, 1952 Wales Flag of Wales 1–2 Flag of Scotland Scotland Ninian Park, Cardiff
Trevor Ford Allan Brown, Billy Liddell

November 3, 1952 Scotland Flag of Scotland 1–1 Flag of Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Hampden Park, Glasgow
Lawrie Reilly Donal D'Arcy

November 12, 1952 England Flag of England 5–2 Flag of Wales Wales Wembley Stadium, London
Nat Lofthouse 2, Tom Finney, Jack Froggatt,
Roy Bentley
Trevor Ford 2

April 15, 1953 Northern Ireland Flag of Northern Ireland 2–3 Flag of Wales Wales Windsor Park, Belfast
Eddie McMorran 2 John Charles 2, Trevor Ford

April 18, 1953 England Flag of England 2–2 Flag of Scotland Scotland Wembley Stadium, London
Ivor Broadis 2 Lawrie Reilly 2

[edit] References