Peterborough United (2) – QPR (1): FA Cup 2nd Round Replay – 9th December 1964

Team: Smith, Brady (P), Hazell, Malcolm, Brady (R), Keen, Collins, McAdams, Leary, Bedford, Morgan (R)

Attendance: 15,298

In April I wrote about the dramatic FA Cup 3-3 draw at Loftus Road with Peterborough in 1964. Alec Stock made two changes for the replay four days later with Pat Brady and Billy McAdams replacing Peter Angell and Ian Morgan respectively.

‘Peterborough have learned their lesson well. After watching Rangers drag themselves away from seemingly unavoidable disaster in the first meeting they found themselves in the reverse role last Wednesday.

Trailing by a goal to nil in the last seconds of full-time they grabbed a last-ditch equaliser and went on to win the game in extra time. But if “Posh” almost threw this game away they have only themselves to blame.

For over an hour they were in complete control playing the fast, open football that had penetrated the Rangers defence six times in a league game only two weeks earlier.

They had chances to take a four-goal interval lead but they squandered them with indifferent shooting and over-casual approach work.

After the interval Rangers gradually fought their way back into the game. Wing-halves Keen and Malcolm were in splendid form, checking the menace of Deakin, and giving Dougan little scope.

Rangers’ goal in the 70th minute looked a shade lucky. Leary passed to McAdams whose 35-yard shot drifted over the heads of the defence into the top corner of the net.

With the referee consulting his watch, Peterborough attacked with renewed frenzy and it must have been in injury time when they scored. Birks crossed from the left and found Dougan who flicked the ball through to Deakin standing anxiously in the penalty area. The inside-left picked his spot deliberately and shot into the net.

United needed only one minute of the half-hour extra time to win the match. The whole team swarmed around the jubilant Deakin after he had slammed in the winner from a McNamee pass to score his fifth goal in three games against unhappy Rangers.’

Posh1964

Paul Handley had also kindly passed on a second report of the game:

‘Peter Deakin, the 23-year-old former school-teacher Peterborough manager Gordon Clark persuaded to become a full-time player this season, put Rangers out of the FA Cup last night.

Rangers, leading by a McAdams 69th minute goal, had victory snatched from them inside a hectic few minutes. There was only 20 seconds to go when Deakin collected a neat side-header from Dougan and crashed in a last-gasp equaliser.

In the first minute of extra time Deakin ripped the heart out of Rangers with a second close range opportunist goal that had the 15,298 crowd roaring.

The first-half was all Peterborough.

In the first minute of the second-half, McAdams headed in Bedford’s centre, but the inside-forward had carried the ball over the bye-line before crossing.

The goal that looked like deciding the match had an element of luck, McAdams, former Northern Ireland international recalled after two months in the reserves, sent across an intended centre from the right. The ball sailed over the startled Sims, who made no attempt to save, and dropped behind him into the net.’

Peterborough then went on a memorable cup run; winning 3-0 at Chesterfield, then defeated Arsenal 2-1 at London Road, knocked out Swansea in a replay before finally going down 5-1 at Stamford Bridge in the quarter-finals.

Steve Russell

(My thanks to Paul Handley for the above match reports)

One thought on “Peterborough United (2) – QPR (1): FA Cup 2nd Round Replay – 9th December 1964

  1. Well Done Paul Handley and Steve Russell for posting this.

    I did not go to the first game at Loftus Rd(3-3 draw)because I was Playing football for Sulgrave juniors. My Father would not allow me to travel on the coach to this midweek evening replay so I missed out again. However events of this encounter are none the less clear in my memory from reports and stories from my friends who did go.

    After defeating us Peterboro’ went on an amazing Giant Killing Cup run eventually losing to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge 5-1 in the 6TH Round. I was there at that game. 60,000 spectators but don’t tell anyone lol

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