Nottingham Forest 3 Southampton 2 – 1979 League Cup Final

Saturday March 17, 1979; League Cup Final

Nottingham Forest 3 Southampton 2

Notts Forest: P.Shilton, C.Barrett, F.Clark, J.McGovern, L.Lloyd, D.Needham, M.O’Neill, A.Gemmill, G.Birtles, T.Woodcock, J.Robertson, unused sub: I.Bowyer.

Southampton: T.Gennoe, I.Golac, D.Peach, S.Williams, C.Nicholl, M.Waldron, A.Ball, P.Boyer, A.Hayes (T.Sealy 83), N.Holmes, T.Curran.

Match Report: It had been a long winter in 1979 and fresh snow storms in London during the week preceding this game meant that Wembley was a pretty soggy place as the League Cup final got under way and the famous turf was sure to cut up.

As the players took their first few tentative steps several found themselves slipping and whenever this happened huge divots would emerge. There was every chance that the conditions might be conducive to an entertaining game.

It was the underdogs Southampton who appeared to settle quickest with the veteran Alan Ball orchestrating some neat passing moves through midfield.

The first threat came from Forest, however, when John Robertson, fed by Tony Woodcock, easily tricked Ivan Golac to send in a centre which Garry Birtles met but could not steer wide of Terry Gennoe.

This was an ominous beginning for Southampton who would have been well aware of the danger posed by Robertson.

In fact it was Woodcock who would provide most danger with his elusive, intelligent running keeping the Saints defence stretched throughout and he was soon afterwards instigating another move which ended with Birtles looping a header wide under pressure.

Southampton were mainly controlling possession but had not really asked any serious questions of the Forest defence when they suddenly took the lead in the 16th minute.

An atempted clearance rebounded towards the corner flag from a Forest head and Phil Boyer seized possession. Boyer exchanged passes with the supporting Nick Holmes before laying off to David Peach moving forward from left back.

Peach drifted inside and drew a couple of Forest defenders before squaring to Alan Ball and darting forward into the gap created.

Ball’s return pass was perfectly timed and weighted and Peach showed great quality and composure in sidestepping the onrushing Shilton before sliding home into the empty net.

Although the goal had come out of the blue it was in no way undeserved.

The goal increased Southampton’s sense of confidence and they now took a real grip on the game as all the fifty fifty balls seemed to be falling the way of the yellow shirts.

Malcolm Waldron was sharp in cutting out a Forest through ball and he instantly set his side moving forward again. The ball was quickly moved through Boyer and Holmes out to Terry Curran who attacked Frank Clark before delivering an inviting low centre into the six yard box.

David Needham was just about able to block Boyer’s attempt and when the ball rolled loose Shilton plunged bravely at the feet of Nick Holmes to smother his shot at source.

An even better move in which Ball was instrumental and also involved Austin Hayes and Holmes ended with the ginger haired ferret getting to the byeline to send over a cross to the far post.

Boyer took the ball neatly on his chest and unleashed a fierce drive but the lunging Larry Lloyd managed to get in a vital block on the goalbound effort.

This marked the summit of Southampton’s dominance, however, and by half time Forest were pushing hard for an equaliser.

Peach had to make last ditch blocks and interceptions to deny Woodcock and Archie Gemmill while Martin O’Neill screwed a shot wide of the near post after his ferocious centre had rebounded to him inadvertantly from the head of Needham.

The last action of the half saw Gemmill, increasingly involved, win a header in the midfield before surging forward to cause panic in the Southampton box. The Saints eventually cleared but when the half time whistle blew it was probably they who welcomed it most despite still holding the lead.

Half Time: Nottingham Forest 0 Southampton 1

Forest had been getting a grip leading up to half time and they came out to really exert their authority. There would be one moment when the game might have swung decisively in Southampton’s favour, however.

Forest were moving the ball around swiftly and with Woodcock and Birtles moving the central defenders all over the pitch there were plenty of gaps for midfield runners to exploit.

Archie Gemmill made a typical dart into one gaping hole and was picked out by a superb pass from John McGovern but Gennoe was out quickly to parry the shot. The ball cannoned out against the retreating Alan Ball and rebounded back towards goal only to roll a foot wide of the post for a corner.

When the corner was headed clear Curran evaded Gemmill inside his own half and suddenly the break was on as Curran ran on with Hayes in support and only Frank Clark blocking the path to goal.

On and on Curran went with the ball begging to be shifted across to Hayes. Approaching the edge of the box Curran looked to jink inside Clark and went to ground.

The defender had definitely caught the forward and nowadays it would have been a free kick and a sending off nine times out of ten, at least.

In 1979, however, there was no decision and tellingly the only Southampton voice raised in protest came from Curran. Everyone else was left wondering why he hadn’t passed to his colleague. It was a different game then.

This was a let off Forest took immediate advantage of. A superb move out of defence saw the ball moved from the right back position all the way forward to the left wing and with Southampton unable to clear properly at full stretch the ball fell to Robertson on the edge of the box.

His cross shot was intercepted by Chris Nicholl six yards out but instead of booting away instantly the defender delayed fatally and the alert Birtles nipped in to pinch the ball off his toe and lift a shot into the roof of the net.

Forest’s pressure now began to escalate into a siege and the constant bombardment had Southampton at full stretch to stem the flow.

John Robertson caught them napping with a quick throw in which sent Woodcock running unopposed to the byeline, his deep cross to the back post located O’Neill who in turn lobbed the ball back across the face of goal but Nicholl was this time taking no chances as he lifted the ball hastily behind.

Next it was Birtles being sent to the goalline by Gemmill after a typically snaking little run but at full stretch he could only send a weak low centre towards Gennoe at the near post.

Somehow the Saints keeper managed to shovel the ball through his own legs and the ball dribbled right along the goalline before being booted to safety by Nick Holmes.

Forest were being roared forward by a vociferous support and their fans offered a pretty accurate reflection of the state of affairs as they taunted the opposition with chants of “We’ve got you on the run!”

Southampton managed a rare, tentative attack but when this was cleared Waldron slipped in trying to pass back to Gennoe and Woodcock was onto the mistake in a flash.

Having raced forward the intelligent striker squared for the supporting Birtles to tap into an empty net.

Forest’s celebrations were cut short by a linesman’s flag as an extremely dubious offside was called.

Curran was shown a yellow card for a late hack at McGovern but he had some right to look aggrieved at being the only man singled out for such punishment in a game where tackles had been flying in throughout and his mood could not have been helped by the inevitable chorus of “Forest reject” that followed.

Another quick throw by Robertson opened up Southampton with Gemmill sent clear to the byeline and Peach had to move sharply to block Birtles from the low centre.

The inspired Woodcock showed truly magnificent control and impudence to take a high ball running towards the touchline before flicking the ball back over his own and his markers’ heads before spinning away to set another Forest attack in motion.

After a series of short sharp passes McGovern sent the ball through for Birtles and Peach could be seen stepping up with his arm raised as the ball went past him towards the darting forward.

Birtles veered round Gennoe and tapped home only to find the linesman’s flag again denying him. This decision was patently incorrect.

Southampton were offered a rare opportunity to go forward when Ivan Golac pounced on a rare misplaced Forest pass to send Curran racing to the byeline.

The winger managed to get in a teasing ball but Lloyd was able to nick it off Boyer’s toe at the last moment.

When Boyer next tried to come forward he was summarily stopped by a solid challenge by Colin Barrett who quickly laid the ball forward towards Woodcock. It was as much a challenge as a pass but Woodcock still managed to work the ball on into the path of Birtles who was left in a foot race agtainst Nicholl.

The straining defender tried a shoulder charge as Birtles approached the box but was left in a heap as the forward ran on to slide his shot under the advancing Gennoe and this time their was no reprieve for the Saints.

There were just over ten minutes remaining and two minutes later Forest had increased their lead.

Birtles taunted Nicholl near the corner flag and the defender wasted no time in booting him across the back of the legs.

When Southampton were unable to clear the free kick properly at the near post Woodcock worked the ball out to Gemmill who drifted inside before suddenly angling a killer ball in for Woodcock who slid in ahead of Gennoe and cleverly dinked the ball into the far corner.

Seldom can a striker have deserved a cup final goal as much as Woodcock did here.

That seemed to be that but with three minutes remaining Steve Williams took possession from a throw in and centred for Waldron to head down. Curran got a touch and when the ball fell towards Holmes on the half volley he rifled a sweet shot into the far corner before Shilton could blink.

A glimmer of hope for the Saints and Ball was unlucky with a pass intended for Boyer that was just too strong and allowed Shilton to dash forward to grab on the edge of his area but when the final whistle sounded there was little doubt that Forest had emerged worthy winners after an excellent final.

Full Time: Nottingham Forest 3 Southampton 2