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5TH ROUND REPLAY
Sunderland 3-1 Manchester City
27/2/73
6TH ROUND
Sunderland 2-0 Luton Town
17/3/73
SEMI-FINAL
Arsenal 1-2 Sunderland
7/4/73
FINAL
Leeds United 0-1 Sunderland
5/5/73
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RITCHIE PITT THREATENS MAN CITY IN THE 5TH RD REPLAY
Towers gave City an early lead,
driving home from the edge of the box
and the home side continued to dominate
the first period. However, Sunderland
showed great resilience and grabbed an
equaliser just before half-time, Mickey
Horswill capitalising on a mistake by
goalkeeper Corrigan to volley home.
The game svyurf^'Sunderland's
way on 68 minutes when I Ttghes
finished in grea^jtyle after being sent
clear by Tueart, but four minutes later
the home side grabbed a fortuitous
equaliser after Montgomery allowed
a Summerbee corner to slip from his
grasp and over the line: Then, with nine
minutes remaining, the game exploded
as Towers exchanged punches with
Horswill near the corner flag and
when order was restored, the City
midfielder immediately was sent off.
In a night of high drama,
Sunderland produced one of
their all-time great performances
to dump City out of the cup.
A stunning 20 yard strike from
Halom, later voted Roker Park's
greatest goal, gave them an early
lead and Hughes netted a second
midway through the first half.
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City surged forward after the
break and after Lee pulled goal back
on 54 minutes the game looked to be
slipping from Sunderland's grasp. With
12 minutes remaining however, Hughes
sent the home fans into raptures, firing
home from close range after Tueart's
cross shot had been parried by Corrigan.
In a game of few clear-cut chances
Sunderland had to rely on second
half goals from defenders Dave
Watson and Ron Guthrie to secure
their place in the semi-final.
The home side finally broke the
visitors' resistance on 55 minutes when
Watson powered home a fine header from
a Kerr corner. Then, with nine minutes
remaining, a rare goal from Guthrie made
the game safe. Again the goal came
from a corner and when the ball dropped
invitingly for the full-back, he swivelled
to volley home from close range.
Vic Halom and Billy Hughes
were the goalscoring heroes as
Sunderland swept aside a star-
studded Arsenal side in a brilliant
performance at Hillsborough.
Halom, particularly in the first
half, ran the Gunners defence ragged
and after opening the scoring on 19
minutes could easily have completed
a hat-trick before the interval.
A looping header from Hughes after
64 minutes put Wembley within touching
distance and although George did pull
a goal back to set up a tense finish,
there was no denying Sunderland their
first Wembley appearance since 1937.
In what has to be regarded the greatest
achievement in the club's post-War history,
Sunderland again rose to the heights to
beat red-hot favourites Leeds United in
an unforgettable final at Wembley.
Ian Porterfield guaranteed his
place in football folklore on Wearside
when he volleyed home the only goal
of the game on 31 minutes following
a left-wing corner from Billy Hughes.
Throughout the remainder of the game
Leeds pressed forward tirelessly but
Sunderland defended brilliantly and after
Jim Montgomery's now legendary double
save mid way through the second half
Sunderland were never in danger and
could well have increased their lead.
