By TownFans.co.uk
October 27 2012

Match Report - 6th May 1978 at Wembley
Ipswich Town, their first appearance in the final, against past masters Arsenal. Ipswich, ravaged by injury, from a footballing outpost against Arsenal, Double winners just 7 years before and the leading team in the capital.

Arsenal were odds on to take the cup but once the game kicked off it soon became clear that the cup was heading in an East Anglian direction.

Three times Ipswich hit the woodwork, John Wark and Paul Mariner displaying their international class. Kevin Beattie and George Burley both had headers superbley saved by Jennings and at the back Mick Mills and Allan Hunter kept the Arsenal attack at bay.

Clive Woods, the Ipswich winger, was in magical form as he toyed with the Gunners defence. Pat Rice had a nightmare in defence as Woods flashed past him again and again.

The breakthrough came after 77 minutes as Woods pushed a ball through to David Geddis who squared the ball after beating Sammy Nelson. Willie Young, the Arsenal centre back, tried to clear but only succeeded in laying it into the path of Roger Osborne who slammed it back into the net (pictured below) to make it 1-0 to Town.

 

Osborne was substituted not soon after, part injury and part excitement being the cause.

Town Side:
Cooper, Burley, Hunter, Beattie, Mills, Osbourne (Lambert 78), Talbot, Wark, Mariner, Geddis, Woods. 

Manager: Sir Bobby Robson 

Road to Wembley
Round 3: Cardiff City 0–2 Ipswich Town
Round 4: Ipswich Town 4–1 Hartlepool United
Round 5: Bristol Rovers 2–2 Ipswich Town
Replay: Ipswich Town 3–0 Bristol Rovers
Quarter-final: Millwall 1–6 Ipswich Town
Semi-final: Ipswich 3–1 West Bromwich Albion (at Highbury)