The FA Cup Final 1872

Wanderers 1-0 Royal Engineers

Kennington Oval
Saturday 16 March 1872
 Referee: A. Stair (Upton Park)

 
Wanderers: R. de C. Welch; C.W. Alcock, M.P. Betts, A.G. Bonsor, E.E. Bowen, W.P. Crake; T.C. Hooman, E. Lubbock, A.C. Thompson, R.W.S. Vidal, C.H.R. Wollaston

Goals: Betts
Following a long solo run from Vidal, 24 year old Morton Betts (playing under the pseudonym A.H Chequer) shot home from an acute angle in the 15th minute.
 Based in Battersea, Wanderers went on to win  five FA Cup finals in seven years. Players were selected from various former public school clubs but as these began to enter the FA Cup, Wanderers disbanded in 1887.

Royal Engineers: Capt. Merriman, Capt. Marindin , Lieut. Addison, Lieut. Creswell, Lieut. Mitchell, Lieut. Renny-Tailyour, Lieut. Rich, Lieut. Goodwyn, Lieut. Muirhead, Lieut. Cotter, Lieut. Bogle.

 The Engineers were pre match  favourites. Based at Chatham and formed in 1862 under the captaincy of  Captain (later Major) Francis Marindin, The Engineers were noted for their use of  the Combination Game, based on passing, whereas other teams relied almost solely on individualist play and dribbling tactics.  In the final  they were effectively reduced to ten men in the tenth minute when Lieutenant Creswell broke his collar-bone (he stayed on, but was a virtual spectator). They appeared in a further 3 FA Cup finals, winning in 1875.


The trophy was actually presented at a celebration dinner the following month.