| GRIMSBY TOWN 4 CITY 4 League Division 2 6th September 1950 attendance 18,529 scorers |
…After 17 minutes Jack Oakes surged through the Grimsby defence and then passed back to Dennis Westcott – well known to Grimsby fans after scoring four for Wolves against Grimsby in the 1939 semi-final. Westcott drove the ball home for the opening goal.
Seven minutes later 37-yearold Billy Cairns was brought down on the edge of the area. He got up in time to take the free kick and, despite Trautmann coming close to the ball, the scores were level. Grimsby seized control and then City captain Eric Westwood, under tremendous pressure. scored an own goal via an unwise backpass.
Further opportunities to kill off the game by the Mariners were squandered before Roy Clarke made it 2-2.
Early in the second half Trautmann collided with Jock Shearer, and the Grimsby man was carried off with a fractured leg. The balance of power now swung back to the Blues and goals from Billy Spurdle and Dennis Westcott made City appear comfortable at 4-2.
Down to ten men Grimsby looked dead and buried. however the game was far from over. With five minutes to go a rare mistake by Trautmann allowed McMillan to score from a loose ball, then Grimsby’s popular veteran Cairns made a spirited run from the half-way line. Roared on by an excited Grimsby crowd he found an unmarked Tommy Briggs who steered a shot past the advancing Trautmann to level the scores.
ADAPTED FROM AN ARTICLE BY GARY JAMES IN THE CITY PROGRAMME 23RD OCTOBER 2001