January 15, 1959
Match: FA Cup, Third Round, at St George’s Lane, kick-off: 14:15.
Worcester City – Liverpool 2-1 (1-0).
Attendance: 15,011.
Referee: Mr Les Tirebuck (Halifax).
Worcester City (2-3-5): John Kirkwood; Eddie Wilcox, Reg Potts; Sammy Bryceland, Les Melville, Roy Paul: Tommy Brown, Eddie Follan, Harry Knowles, Bernard Gosling, Tommy Skuse.
Liverpool (2-3-5): Tommy Younger; John Molyneux, Ronnie Moran; Johnny Wheeler, Dick White, Geoff Twentyman; Fred Morris, James Harrower, Louis Bimpson, Jimmy Melia, Alan A’Court.
The goals: 1-0 Skuse (10 min.), 2-0 own goal (White, 72 min.), 2-1 Twentyman (84 min, pen.).
Hurrah for Worcester – after their great Cup victory, surely a city more famous for Soccer than for sauce.
This was the part-timers’ day. Eight of Worcester’s men had worked in the morning, but they were a joy to watch as they stoutly outplayed mighty, full-time Liverpool.
Their manager Billy Thompson, had watched Liverpool three times; captain Roy Paul carried out his suggested tactics to the letter.
In the dressing-room afterwards, the jubilant City boys passed a bottle of champagne from lip to lip with less eagerness than they had shown in passing the ball to confound Liverpool.
Every drop of the bubbling liquid was earned, for this Cup shock was no lucky strike. Certainly Worcester got no breaks from referee Les Tirebuck, of Halifax. Some of his decisions left me amazed.
Liverpool never showed any fight and they had no player to match right-half Sammy Bryceland, who worked himself like a galley slave. He linked up brilliantly with inside right Eddie Follan.
“No wonder,” said Bryceland. “We played together for Greenock boys’ team and went 150 games without defeat.”
Van driver Follan has been rising at 6.30 every morning to feed his baby daughter Carol. He showed no sign of flagging after his dawn patrol.
He and Bryceland, more than any others of this great-hearted Worcester side, had the Liverpool defenders at panic stations. And panic gave Worcester their two goals.
The first – after ten minutes – was scored when right-back John Molyneux diverted a ball past goalkeeper Tommy Younger, and gave outside-left Skuse a most acceptable gift chance. Younger, who had the best view, records:
“Bryceland hit a long, low ball across goal, and centre forward Knowles let it run on to Skuse. I left my goal to dive at the feet of Skuse, but John Molyneux, running in pushed the ball past me and the winger scored.”
The second goal came in 72nd minute. Centre forward Knowles roaming on the right wing, hit a low cross. Liverpool centre-half Dick White, scrambling back to help, hit the ball over Younger’s head into the net.
Worcester looked home and dried – until the 84th minute. Then Liverpool were awarded a penalty, which left-half Twentyman hit truly past goalkeeper Kirkwood, who had a great game. The penalty decision stunned the happy Soccer citizens of Worcester. Explained Mr. Tirebuck: “Kirkwood ad gathered the ball and was being charged by a Liverpool forward, who was in turn, pushed off by a Worcester defender.”
Now you know.
In a solid Worcester defence, Liverpool lad Les Melville was like a rock.
He told me:
“I was brought up in Liverpool, and played for Everton. Centre-forward Louis Bimpson is my best pal – but not out there.”
Liverpool manager Phil Taylor said after the game: “We lost because our forwards showed no fight. We have no grumbles about the ground, which was as good as any in the country at this time.”
Other managers, please copy.
(Daily Mail: May 16, 1959)
"Play Up, Liverpool" 