Matchday Memories: On This Day 1957 – ‘SuperMac’ Treble As Bantams Bash Bournemouth

CCFC Manager- Harry Warren 1956-58

On this day (23rd April) in Easter 1957 in the penultimate match of the Division Three South season, and the last game at home, a Highfield Road crowd of 12,620 watched Coventry City take their south coast opponents apart beating Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic by 4-2.  CCFC, managed by Harry Warren, were finishing the season strongly having already lost only one and won four of their six matches in April so far. Today’s game against ‘Boscombe’ came on the back of a 2-0 home win against Newport County,  a 3-3 home draw against Shrewsbury Town and away wins at both Gillingham and at today’s opponents (both by the odd goal in three).

CCFC’s Ken McPherson

Today’s win, therefore, gave the City the ‘double’ over the team from Dean Court (who were to finish fifth in the league) – but only after going one down to a 29th minute goal from John Arnott converting a cross from Brian Loughnane. The Bantams’ victory relied upon a hat-trick from blonde, bustling centre-forward (later a CCFPA member) Ken McPherson. Ken got his goals after 32 minutes (a header steered in from a Bill Patrick free kick), 43 minutes (a shot crashed in) and 84 minutes (another header).

Alan Moore

Our own ‘SuperMac’ would end up as City’s top scorer with 22 league goals and was currently in a bit of a purple patch, this treble giving him eight goals in his last seven games including one at Bournemouth (the other came from Jack Boxley)!

Today, the City’s other score came from a ‘Boscombe‘ own goal after 38 minutes from their centre half Harry Hughes who turned a shot by Alan Moore into his own net. The visitors second consolation goal came from Stan Newsham with a cheeky backheel close in past Alf Wood just four minutes from the final whistle.

Charlie Timmins, City’s captain today

The ‘Bantams’, as was the club’s nickname in the pre-Sky Blues days, put out the following team for today’s game:-

Alf Wood; Bill Patrick & Charlie Timmins (c); Frank Austin, Roy Kirk & Iain Jamieson; Jim Rogers, Alan Moore, Ken McPherson, Jack Boxley & Ray Sambrook

Alf Wood in action

City’s goalie Alf Wood was a great club servant joining CCFC in December 1935 and appearing for the club in eight seasons plus the war years before moving to Northampton Town in December 1951.

Ian as a City player in 1957

He then returned as a player coach in July 1955 and in September 1958 came in as emergency cover at age 43 for a dozen consecutive games and was only on the losing side twice! He finally hung his boots up after 246 CCFC appearances in 1959!

Iain Jamieson later became a club director (1973) and chairman (1983)!

Bournemouth & Boscombe‘s Boys, chosen by manager Fred Cox, lined up:

Bill Heath; Mike Lyons & Laurie Woollard; Joe Brown, Harry Hughes & Les Melville; Brian Loughnane, Ollie Norris, John Arnott, Stan Newsham & Reg Cutler      Referee:- H.J.Husband (London)

With that great end to the season (they also won their final match at Aldershot 1-0) the Bantams finished their D3S season in 16th well below today’s opponents. Ipswich Town took the divisional championship and Swindon Town and bottom club Norwich City were compelled to seek re-election to the league (and were both later voted back in)!

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images.