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1877 F A CUP FINAL
WANDERERS 2
VS
OXFORD UNIVERSITY 1
AFTER EXTRA TIME
SCORERS- {WA} KENRICK, LINDSAY
{OU} KINNAIRD {OWN GOAL}
24TH MARCH-KENNINGTON OVAL-LONDON
ATTENDANCE-3,000
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KITS BY ANDY BURTON
The kits here are produced by permission of the CLASSIC KITS WEBSITE
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The F A cup celebrated it's fifth birthday and though it was still poorly organised by modern standards it was here to stay. The number of entries had risen every year, although the vast majority of the entrants remained old boys and military teams from the home Counties. Something that would be considered unthinkable today took place after the first round draw this year. The previous year's beaten finalists, Old Etonians withdrew from their first round tie at Barnes. The reason is not known as the Etonians would have been expected to win the tie quite easily. Wanderers also found themselves without a first round tie as their opponents, Saffron Waldon also scratched. In all, six clubs progressed by default while Upton Park, no relation to modern West Ham who play at a stadium of the same name made light work of defeating Leyton 7-0.
The high scoring victories continued in round two as the Holders, Wanderers saw off Southall 6-0 while Sheffield put seven past South Norwood with Owen netting five.
The quarter finals were again unbalanced with five teams in this stage of the competition. Wanderers maintained their record of never having failed to reach this stage and were rewarded with a bye directly into the semi finals. Cambridge University and Royal Engineers had both been beaten quarter finalists last year but this time were drawn to play eachother. The university side came through by a single goal. Oxford University were in their fifth consecutive quarter final and faced Upton Park. Neither side could find a goal in their first meeting and it required a replay for Oxford to book a semi final place.
Having made it to the semi finals Oxford were given the easiest of passages into the final. There were only three teams in the hat meaning that one would have to recieve a bye. Oxford were the lucky recipients and the prospect of a varsity final was on but in order to achieve it Cambridge University would have to defeat the holders, Wanderers at the Oval. Hubert Heron was the party pooper, scoring the only goal of a tense semi final to send Wanderers to their second consecutive final and a record fourth in total. This was as close as the final ever came to a battle between the Universities and at the moment the prospect of the two cities modern professional clubs, Oxford United and Cambrigde United ever meeting in a final seems remote.
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THE FINAL
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Oxford arrived at Kennington oval on March 24th on a revenge mission. They had lost the 1873 final to the Wanderers though they arrived at this tie with none of the eleven who had played in that game four years earlier. The University side did contain one former cup winner, William Rawson who had been in their '74 winning side.
By stark contrast nine of the Wanderers team had cup final experience. Arthur Kinnaird and team captain Charles Wollaston had both played in the '73 final and were among three Wanderers players making their fourth visit to the final. Wollaston had played in all three previous Wanderers cup wins while Kinnaird had left Wanderers after '73 and had lost two finals in the colours of Old Etonians. Francis Birley had played in '73 for his opponents today Oxford. Birley had in fact played for three different clubs in three finals but had only won once, last year with Wanderers. These three were joined by five others who had played in last years winning Wanderers team, Hubert Heron, Jarvis Kenrick, Thomas Hughes, William Lindsay and Alfred Stratford. Frederick Green lined up in a final for Wanderers for the first time having already won a winners medal in '74 with Oxford.
The omens and experience obviously lay in favour of Wanderers but it was Oxford who took the lead amid much confusion. A long aimless ball came towards the Wanderers goal and Kinnaird had to race along his goal line to collect it. However his momentum carried him over his own goal line and the first cup final own goal was scored. The fact though was lost for over a Century as some newspaper reporters of the day did not record the goal. It was believed that the match was still goalless after ninety minutes but the record has been put right. It was thought until recently that Wanderers scored their first goal early in extra time to open the scoring but in reality the goal was a dramatic late equaliser which forced extra time. Certainly it must have came very late for some journalists to believe that they were witnessing the extra half-hour when it was struck. It was scored by Jarvis kenrick from a pin point pass by Wace and must have been heart breaking for the Oxford Players. Their momentum visibly died in extra time and Wanderers were always going to win the match from then on with William Lindsay applying the inevitable winner for the holders during the extra period.
Kenrick and Lindsay's names were added to the list of cup final goal scorers while Kinnaird was probably relieved to read that his error had been missed by many spectators and pressmen alike. Fortunately his error did not alter the result.
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THE TEAMS
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WANDERERS
HON ARTHUR KINNAIRD
FRANCIS BIRLEY {CAPTAIN}
C A DENTON
FREDERICK GREEN
HUBERT HERON
THOMAS HUGHES
JARVIS KENRICK
WILLIAM LINDSAY
ALFRED STRATFORD
HENRY WACE
CHARLES WOLLASTON
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OXFORD UNIVERSITY
E H ALLINGTON
J BAIN
O R DUNNELL
J H SAVORY
A H TODD
EVELYN WADDINGTON
P H FURNANDEZ
A F HILLS
H S OTTER
{CAPTAIN} EDWARD PARRY
WILLIAM RAWSON
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