Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Racecourse Days & Nights #1: Wrexham 2 Arsenal 1
(FA Cup Third Round - January 4 1992)
This is the one everyone remembers. The previous season, Arsenal had topped the Football League (this of course was in the days before the Premiership) - Wrexham had finished bottom of its lowest Division, and only avoided relegation on a technicality. This was the ultimate David vs. Goliath contest (except the original, of course), and Goliath struck the first blow just before half-time. Paul Merson pulled the ball back for Alan Smith to net in the 44th minute for the Gunners, to undo all of Wrexham's good work in the first half and leave the home side deflated at the break. Arsenal continued to dominate the play in the second half, but were unable to increase their lead, and the score remained at 1-0 as the game wore on. Time appeared to be running out for the Robins (as they were then known)...
With seven minutes of normal time remaining, Arsenal and England star Tony Adams was judged to have fouled Steve Watkin just outside the penalty area. And who should step forward to take the free-kick but 37-year old Mickey Thomas, formerly of Manchester United and Chelsea (after starting his career at the Racecourse in 1970)? The often controversial Welshman launched a rocket past David Seaman and into the top left-hand corner. Wrexham were level!
But while their fans were dreaming of a trip to Highbury for the replay, and Arsenal's were wondering what had just happened, the home side wasted no time in resuming the attack. Within a minute, another ex-Chelsea player, Gordon Davies, broke down the right flank, and held off Nigel Winterburn for just long enough to put a low cross into the box - where Tony Adams and Steve Watkin were both waiting. As the former, possibly still reeling from his role in conceding Wrexham's equaliser, failed to deal with it, the latter pounced to complete an unbelievable turnaround and put Wrexham 2-1 up. As the final whistle blew, Wrexham erupted in salute to the mix of youngsters and journeymen that had put the Champions out of the cup.
Click here for more.
This is the one everyone remembers. The previous season, Arsenal had topped the Football League (this of course was in the days before the Premiership) - Wrexham had finished bottom of its lowest Division, and only avoided relegation on a technicality. This was the ultimate David vs. Goliath contest (except the original, of course), and Goliath struck the first blow just before half-time. Paul Merson pulled the ball back for Alan Smith to net in the 44th minute for the Gunners, to undo all of Wrexham's good work in the first half and leave the home side deflated at the break. Arsenal continued to dominate the play in the second half, but were unable to increase their lead, and the score remained at 1-0 as the game wore on. Time appeared to be running out for the Robins (as they were then known)...
With seven minutes of normal time remaining, Arsenal and England star Tony Adams was judged to have fouled Steve Watkin just outside the penalty area. And who should step forward to take the free-kick but 37-year old Mickey Thomas, formerly of Manchester United and Chelsea (after starting his career at the Racecourse in 1970)? The often controversial Welshman launched a rocket past David Seaman and into the top left-hand corner. Wrexham were level!
But while their fans were dreaming of a trip to Highbury for the replay, and Arsenal's were wondering what had just happened, the home side wasted no time in resuming the attack. Within a minute, another ex-Chelsea player, Gordon Davies, broke down the right flank, and held off Nigel Winterburn for just long enough to put a low cross into the box - where Tony Adams and Steve Watkin were both waiting. As the former, possibly still reeling from his role in conceding Wrexham's equaliser, failed to deal with it, the latter pounced to complete an unbelievable turnaround and put Wrexham 2-1 up. As the final whistle blew, Wrexham erupted in salute to the mix of youngsters and journeymen that had put the Champions out of the cup.
Click here for more.
