It was already time for Sunderland’s eleventh game of the 1964/1965 season, and our first in that campaign’s League Cup, with West Ham United the opponents after being handed a long trip north in the draw.
Newly promoted but now without a manager following the sensational pre-season departure of Alan Brown, this round two tie was a good chance for the Lads to try and build momentum away from the pressures of the league.
The club had gone deeply into the competition during the previous couple of years but since their return to Division One had been struggling for form, and with the board of directors overseeing team affairs until they sourced a replacement for Brown, there was an air of uncertainty around the side.
Captain Charlie Hurley and trainer Arthur Wright had been trying to guide the hierarchy as best they could, but finding the right combinations for the starting eleven was proving difficult. September had been particularly brutal, with seven games yielding only one victory so far, although the fact it had come at Roker Park did provide some encouragement ahead of kick off.
Blackburn Rovers had been sent packing earlier in the month and after that fixture, the same side was selected to take on Blackpool at Bloomfield Road. However, the players were unable to replicate their efforts and were easily beaten, so with a rethink needed and the heavy schedule taken into consideration, the directors elected to call up local prospect Tommy Mitchinson — a decision that soon paid dividends.
Whereas the win over Blackburn had been narrow and tense, current FA Cup holders West Ham were instead blown away during a magnificent opening salvo, and boss Ron Greenwood could do nothing but look on aghast as his bewildered charges conceded three in the opening ten minutes — a situation that was even harder to take because they themselves could’ve very easily opened the scoring after just a few seconds.
It was John Sissons that was pushing, seeing his first effort charged down by Hurley before the rebound was struck goalwards again to bring an excellent reflex save from Sandy McLaughlan. Things could’ve gone very differently had the England youth international found the back of the net, so Sunderland snapped into action and took it upon themselves to kill things off before they offered up any more opportunities.
Within three minutes, George Mulhall had blasted the ball past Jim Standen with so much force that the keeper was unable to stop the attempt despite getting both hands on it. The move had started when George Herd drove through midfield and fed Nick Sharkey, whose cute backheel opened up the space for Mulhall, and Herd was creating again soon after, playing the ball through the middle for Mitchinson to run onto and guide home.
Standen was given no chance by the youngster, who backed up his first senior goal with a thoroughly eye-catching display, yet the keeper did well with the next shot, flinging himself across his goal to push over a fierce Mulhall drive. His acrobatics counted for little however, as Hurley was first to the resulting corner from the left and knocked it down for Sharkey to hook in, and with that it was pretty much game over already.
Sharkey twice went close to doubling his own tally before a spectacular full-length diving header from Brian Usher made it 4-0 shortly before the break, and whilst Martin Petes looked set to reply, all his attempt did as it was slashed horribly wide was highlight just how precise Sunderland’s finishing had been in comparison.
There was therefore a sense of satisfaction in the home changing room despite not knowing who gave the half-time team talk, and the looming second half appeared at this juncture as if it was going to be a routine operation.
Things did get a bit tougher when shortly after the restart, Jim McNab hurt his left knee after clashing with Johnny Byrne.
He did attempt to run the problem off but eventually went in for treatment and was unable to continue, with the findings of an X-ray the following morning forcing him into a brief spell on the sidelines. Understudy Dave Elliott did well when stepping into the league breach, but in the meantime there was a cup tie to finish and it was a magnificent shift from Martin Harvey that made up for the absence.
Even with ten men, Sunderland played well — although United did get one goal back through Peter Brabrook. McLaughlan was unlucky to push the header in off the post instead of around it, and whilst the performances of those in front of him meant his evening remained fairly quiet in the aftermath, he pulled off a strong save in the final seconds to deny Sissons once more.
It was an entertaining way to end proceedings and ensured that the margin of victory reflected the balance of play, but for McLaughlan himself it was an important reminder of his ability on the day regular number one Jimmy Montgomery had the plaster removed from the finger he had broken in pre-season — an incident that had instigated the Scot’s transfer to Roker earlier in the month.
Blackpool were to be next up in the League Cup, with memories of their comfortable outing against the Lads soon being erased as Sunderland won 4-1 for the second round running.
The run then ended at Coventry City in November but by that stage our still-faltering league form was a more pressing concern. The search for a new manager was nearing a conclusion and thankfully so, as the team was languishing near the bottom of Division One and whilst proving against West Ham that it was capable of some good things on its day, a bit more guidance was obviously needed.
Wednesday 30 September 1964
Roker Park
Attendance: 22,382
Football League Cup Round Two
Sunderland 4 (Mulhall 2’, Mitchinson 4’, Sharkey 10’, Usher 37’)
West Ham United (Brabrook 58’)
Sunderland: McLaughlan, Irwin, Ashurst; Harvey, Hurley, McNab; Usher, Herd, Sharkey; Mitchinson, Mulhall
