Blackpool 4-3 Bolton
FA Cup final, May 2, 1953
Having been losing finalists twice in the last six years, Blackpool were determined to taste victory at Wembley and give 38-year-old Stanley Matthews the FA Cup winners' medal that had so far eluded him.
Stan Mortensen (35, 68, 89)
Bill Perry (90)
Nat Lofthouse (2)
Bobby Langton (40)
Eric Bell (55)
FA Cup final,
May 2, 1953
Wembley,
Referee: B.M. Griffiths,
Att: 100,000
Blackpool fans got their wish - and Matthews got his medal at last - but not without an almighty struggle in a Wembley classic.
Nat Lofthouse maintained his record of scoring in every round to put Bolton in front after just two minutes, but Stan Mortensen levelled 10 minutes before half-time with a deflected cross-shot. Within five minutes, however, Bobby Langton had restored Bolton's lead and when Eric Bell put Wanderers 3-1 up, Blackpool fans were fearing more Wembley heartache.
Matthews, however, had other ideas. He gave a dribbling masterclass, setting up Mortensen for a second goal on 70 minutes and again providing an assist for the striker to complete his hat-trick and make it 3-3 with just two minutes left. He wasn't finished, though, as Matthews continued to turn on the style and deep into stoppage time, he set up Bill Perry for a dramatic winner.
Key Figures
Stanley Matthews
After tasting defeat in 1948 and 1951, Matthews would finally get his hands on the FA Cup. At the age of 38, he produced arguably the finest individual performance ever seen in an FA Cup final. With his side seemingly down and out, Matthews turned on the style and almost single-handedly dragged Blackpool back into the contest. Nobody deserved an FA Cup winners' medal more than Matthews, and his performance was so good it earned him a recall to the England team.
Stan Mortensen
Mortensen's achievement of scoring the first FA Cup final hat-trick at Wembley was overshadowed by the brilliant performance of his team-mate Matthews. But the striker was immense throughout Blackpool's run to the final and put on a terrific goalscoring performance against Bolton that deserves to be as fondly remembered as Matthews' terrific display.
Ernie Taylor
Taylor was key to Blackpool's comeback, continually spreading the ball wide for Matthews to work his magic. He put in a whole-hearted display that went largely unnoticed, but Blackpool owed their success as much to Taylor as Matthews and Mortensen.
Did You Know...?
Stan Mortensen is still the only man to score a hat-trick in an FA Cup final at Wembley.
The 1953 final was the first football match attended by Queen Elizabeth II. She would be crowned as monarch at her coronation a month later.
Benjamin Mervyn Griffiths was the first Welshman to referee an FA Cup final. He later became the only Welshman to officiate in a World Cup final, running the line in 1954 as West Germany beat Hungary.
What Happened Next
Blackpool enjoyed a decent league campaign next time out, finishing sixth in the First Division, but they were unable to repeat their FA Cup heroics as they were knocked out in the fifth round by Port Vale.
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