N Ireland 3 England 3
Northern Ireland 3 England 3, Windsor Park, British Home Championship, October 4, 1958. Walter Winterbottom´s England side opened the Bristish Home Championship with a three-all draw against Northern Ireland witnessed by 58,000 people at Windsor Park in Belfast. Manchester United favourite Bobby Charlton registered a brace for England, while Preston North End winger Tom Finney also found the back of the net for The Three Lions.
Northern Ireland launched themselves into the lead sixteen minutes into the first period when Leeds United´s Wilbur Cush beat Colin McDonald in the England goal with a well-placed effort from inside the area. England worked hard for an equaliser and levelled the score a minute past the half-hour mark as Bobby Charlton hammered a powerful shot past Manchester United and Northern Ireland goalkeeper Harry Gregg and into the net. The Irish regained the advantage nine minutes after the break through Glasgow Celtic defender Bertie Peacock, but the visitors fought their way back to parity for a second time seven minutes later when the one and only Tom Finney brilliantly placed the ball past Gregg and into the bottom left-hand corner of the net. Cheered on by a boisterous 58,000 strong home crowd, Northern Ireland went ahead for the third time in the match on 67 minutes with an opportunistic goal by Portsmouth midfielder Tommy Casey, only for England to snatch a draw from the jaws of defeat in the 77th minute courtesy of another fine finish from Charlton. Northern Ireland Team: Harry Gregg, Willie Cunningham, Richard Keith, Len Graham, Danny Blanchflower, Bertie Peacock, Tommy Casey, Billy Bingham, Peter McParland, Wilbur Cush, Jimmy McIlroy. Substitutes: None. England Team: Colin McDonald, Tommy Banks, Ronnie Clayton, Don Howe, Billy Wright, Wilf McGuinness, Bobby Charlton, Peter Brabrook, Johnny Haynes, Peter Broadbent, Tom Finney. Substitutes: None.
Bobby Charlton Quickfacts
Bobby Charlton netted both goals in his second appearance for England as The Three Lions overcame Portugal by 2–1 in an international friendly clash at Wembley on the 7th of May 1958.
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