On this day in 1958, Fulham exited the FA Cup after a thrilling eight-goal semi-final replay against Manchester United, still mourning the loss of eight of their brilliant Busby babes, at Highbury. The result was in doubt right until the closing stages with Fulham having a goal contentiously chalked off at 4-3 and Tony Macedo having a terrible time in goal.
The country was still riding an emotional rollercoaster in the immediate aftermath of the horrific Munich air crash. The nation’s sympathy was with a makeshift side that had been held by Second Division Fulham 2-2 in the original semi-final at Villa Park. Young Macedo had been magnificent in the first tie to earn the replay, so it was hardly fitting that his late errors proved so costly in the end.
Frank McGhee began his match report in the Daily Mirror, by writing:
“For four months Tony Macedo, 20, has been a great giant of a goalkeeper for Fulham. And for four months he has had a secret nagging nightmare worry: “When am I going to have that bad game, that day when the dives are a fraction late, when the position sense goes haywire, when the hands grab but don’t grip?”
Now he knows the tragic unhappy answer. It happened yesterday at Highbury in the most important game he’s played – the F.A. semi final replay. It saw Fulham out of the Cup and the rebuilt Manchester United back at Wembley.”
Macedo had made two excellent early saves before being badly culpable for United’s opener which was forced home by the diving Alex Dawson from close range after the goalkeeper had missed a Colin Webster cross. Johnny Haynes produced a peach of a pass to set up Arthur Stevens for a swift equaliser before Macedo maddeningly failed to keep out another Dawson drive despite getting a firm hand to it. Tosh Chamberlain levelled again after a fine run from Jim Langley, but Macedo took his eye off the ball when challenged by Dawson and Shay Brennan, allowing the latter to make it 3-2.
It appeared all over when Bobby Charlton produced a brilliant bit of skill to outfox George Cohen and set up a fourth for Dawson with a lovely pass that completely cut out Joe Stapleton. But Fulham rallied bravely, with Roy Dwight reducing their arrears and then they threw everything at the United defence. Haynes had an effort brilliantly saved, Dwight drove over and then came the controversy that saw Haynes fuming after what he thought was a good goal was ruled out for handball.
Charlton sealed it with a firm finish in the last minute – and Fulham, who had battled so gallantly, were utterly devastated. But the spectacle itself, one of the few games screened on live television in those days, was certainly something to be proud of.
The replay was the first time I ever saw Fulham play, albeit on the telly. How I managed to persuade mum to miss a day at school I’ve no idea. Saw them in the flesh at the Cottage the following month, beating Bristol Rovers 3-0.
As a schoolboy I went to both the semi final at Villa Park and the replay at Highbury with my schoolmate Michael Cole who became Al Fayed,s press secretary but could’nt believe how a wonderful keeper like Tony Macedo could have such a nightmare in the replay.Of course the nation were behind Man Utd following the recent Munich air disaster but they couldn’t keep up the momentum in the final against Bolton Wanderers.
Was it played on a mid week afternoon? Because I have ague recollections of hurrying back from school at lunch time and being allowed to watch. Can’t understand why it was played in the pm as Highbury had floodlights