L
iverpool have played Everton
in the FA Cup more often
than any other opponent,
but the Reds are yet to register
a victory over the Blues in the
competition at Anfield. For that
matter, the Toffees have never
beaten Liverpool in an FA Cup tie
on this ground either.
Everton have won FA Cup ties
at Anfield, though you have to go
back to January 1890 for the last
time. Astonishingly they scored
eleven goals that day, beating
Derby County 11-2 in a first-round
tie that saw Toffees forward
Fred Geary score four times and
team-mate Alf Milward three.
The history of Liverpool v
Everton in the FA Cup has taken
in 23 games with Liverpool
winning ten, including three
Wembley victories (two finals
and the 2012 semi). Everton have
been victorious in seven ties
while half-a-dozen of them have
ended in draws.
It is a story of unlikely victories,
refereeing controversies, joy and
heartache since the sides were
first paired together in 1902. That
January 116 years ago, a case of
smallpox was confirmed in New
Ferry, the Liverpool Dog, Poultry
& Pigeon Show opened to a big
crowds at the city's Haymarket,
and Reds hosted Blues at Anfield
in a first-round clash.
Everton had already beaten
their neighbours 4-0 in the
league and were installed as
favourites, with Liverpool at the
other end of the table to the
title-chasing Toffees. In front
of 25,000 the game ended in
a 2-2 draw with the Sunday
Chronicle newspaper describing
it as “not brilliant but good sturdy
football – cup football if you
please. The revival of Liverpool
was remarkable. They played
determined, dashing football and
were the better side.”
The Thursday replay at
Goodison Park was played
in front of 20,000 in basking
January sunshine! Liverpool
triumphed 2-0 and it proved to
be a game to forget for Everton
goalkeeper George Kitchen. First
he was beaten by Blues team-125: THEN
mate Bill Balmer who headed
past him, then he failed to deal
with a relatively routine long-
range shot from Reds inside-
forward John 'Sailor' Hunter.
Everton exacted their revenge
three years later, winning a
first-round replay at Goodison
2-1 after a 1-1 draw at Anfield.
Harold Hardman conjured up a
late winner for the Blues after
Tommy McDermott's opener
had been cancelled out by
Liverpool's Arthur Goddard.
In 1906 there was huge
excitement in the city when the
teams were drawn against eachother in the semi-final at Villa
Park. Manager Tom Watson's
Liverpool were bidding for a
league-and-cup double at a time
when winning the FA Cup held
more prestige than clinching
the title. With key attacking
performers Jack Cox and Sam
Raybould ruled out by injury,
Liverpool lacked firepower and
Everton won the game 2-0
with a couple of goals in the
space of as many second-half
minutes from Walter Abbott and
Harold Hardman. “There was
more excitement and sensation
merged into 90 seconds than
the whole 90 minutes,” reported
the Daily Post.
Everton went on to become
the first Merseyside team to
win the FA Cup by beating
Newcastle United 1-0 at Crystal
Palace, but the Reds did find
some consolation in winning their
second top-flight championship.
Five years later, in February 1911
the Blues maintained the upper
hand so far as the FA Cup was
concerned. Jack Parkinson's
opener for Liverpool was
cancelled out by two second-half goals from Sandy Young
as Everton triumphed 2-1 in a
second-round tie at Goodison.
Recalling the game a half-
century later in 1964, Reds
defender Ephraim Longworth
recalled a fine stop from keeper
Sam Hardy that had prevented
him from scoring an own-goal!
“Everton were pressing strongly
and in trying to head the ball
away I did not get it full on my
forehead and it slewed away
towards goal. Fortunately Sam
made a brilliant save – perhaps
the greatest save of the game.”
That result meant Everton
had won the last three FA Cup
clashes between the sides but
Liverpool were to exact their
revenge by emerging victorious
in the three that followed.
First up was a third-round tie
in January 1932 that saw the
Goodison gates closed ten
minutes before kick-off with
more than 57,000 spectators
inside the ground. Dixie Dean's
reputation as the goalscoring
god of Merseyside was well-
established and he wasted no
time in underlining his credentials,
lashing a left-footed shot beyond
Elisha Scott within 15 seconds to
leave Liverpool up against it.
However, the Reds dug deep
and winger Gordon Gunson
fired home an equaliser seven
minutes before the break.
Liverpool, of course, had their
own super-striker in Gordon
Hodgson and it was he who had
the final word with a late winner.
The Evening Express called
it "as grand a goal as we have
seen for years. Hodgson made
one of his well-known runs and
Gunson received. Instead of
curling the ball Gunson slashed it
into the goalmouth and Hodgson,
from ten yards, headed into the
net in good fashion. It was a
great goal, beautifully executed
and the Liverpool supporters
jumped with excitement.”
Everton had won the FA Cup
twice by the time the teams met
in the 1950 semi-final at Maine
Road (previewed on the right by
an Echo cartoon) while Liverpool
had yet to break their duck. BobTHE REVIVAL OF
LIVERPOOL WAS
REMARKABLE – THEY
PLAYED DETERMINED
DASHING FOOTBALL