Match Report by Mike Payne

There were over 60,000 people packed into White Hart Lane to see the latest challenge from a European country to England's unbeaten home record. They went away satisfied with the scoreline but not so happy with their team's performance. Only a superb display in a goal from Bert Williams kept the eager Italian forward line at bay and it was certainly a narrow shave for England.

However, the home side could have been ahead in the first minute. Right from the kick-off, a clever back-heel by Jack Rowley set up Stan Mortensen for a flashing shot which was brilliantly saved by Moro at full stetch.

Gradually, though, Italy's powerful forwards put England under increasing pressure. Lorenzi was particularly dangerous although all the forwards gave their markers a hard time. How Williams saved at point-blank range from Carapallese and Martino only he could tell you and he bettered even those saves with another brilliant effort from Lorenzi's shot.

This pattern carried on for two-thirds of the match. Mortensen's header did bring anonther fine save out of Moro following Tom Finney's cross, but Italy were pressing for much of the time. Finney was England's main hope and he was always troubling Giovannii with his neat footwork. With 14 minutes to go, England gained a vital breakthrough.

Willie Watson sent Jack Froggatt away and the winger cut inside before passing to Stan Pearson. His centre was then crashed home by a rocket shot from Rowley's left foot. It was a magnificent goal and one that was cruel luck for Italy, especially after having dominated the game for so long.

If that was cruel luck, then the second, killer goal was pure fluke. A hopeful 40-yard punt forward by England skipper Billy Wright was hopelessly misjudged by Moro and the ball somehow ended up in the back of the net.

It had been a narrow squeak for a disjointed England display. Neil Franklin and Watson always looked uncomfortable and Pearson and Froggatt never got their play together. In the end, England were thankful for Williams' mighty saves.
  

    Match Report by Norman Giller

England were outplayed for long periods by an over-elaborate Italian team, and only a series of fine saves by Bert Williams kept them in the game in a goalless first half. England snatched an undeserved lead fourteen minutes from the end when Jack Rowley scored with one of his typical thunderbolt left foot shots that the Italian goalkeeper could only wave to on its way into the net. The match was settled by a goal in a million from Billy Wright. His second goal for England was a complete freak. He lobbed the ball forward from a position just over the halfway line. It was intended for the far post. The Italian goalkeeper, unchallenged, came out to collect it just as a gust of wind made the ball change direction. He grasped at thin air as it curled over his head and into the net.
 

    What the Opposition said....

"ITALY: 'DEFEAT RANKLES AS AN INJUSTICE'
"Italian newspapers to-day praised their contry's Soccer team which yesterday held England at Tottenham for 77 minutes before losing 2-0. Most papers claimed that England's win did not reflect the surprising quality of the new Italian team, assembled since last May's air crash in which many of the country's national team died.
" "Il Tempo" said the Italians were "defeated but not dominated," adding, "the defeat rankles as n injustice, coming after an equally matched first half which we could have won."
" "Il Messagero," declaring "the English do not seem unbeatable," nevertheless gave high praise to Williams, Watson, Mortenson, Finney and Froggatt of the English team.
" "The English have made no progress since last year," said Il People, calling the result "Very unjust."
But L'Unita declared: "We must recognise that once again the Britain defeated us because they were stronger." -  Thursday, 1 December 1949, Evening Post