At last, for the first time since 1937, Scotland managed a home victory over the Auld Enemy from England - and they managed it in style. What a pity that this Scottish side was not going to Chile as, on this display, they would have given an excellent account of themselves. Their game had everything and but for a fine display by Ron Springett, they would surely have had a hatful of goals.

Right from the start Scotland put the England defence under extreme pressure. Law, White, Baxter and Crerand set up wave after wave of attacks as the blue shirts swept forward. Apart from Springett, Ray Wilson and Ron Flowers also gave sterling service but poor Peter Swan had a game he would quickly want to forget.

The inevitable opening goal came in the 13th minute and it was a beautifully contrived effort. Crerand passed to Law who, with superb control, left Swan for dead and then moved out to the right drawing Springett from his goal. At the perfect moment Law then chipped the ball back into the middle to Davie Wilson, who shot home with Swan vainly trying to recover.

Johnny Haynes and Stan Anderson were under continual pressure from Baxter, Crerand and White. To his credit, Haynes played his heart out and he saw one shot blocked on the line by Caldow just before the interval.

England were very lucky to only be the one goal down at the break and Springett had been their saviour with some very alert goalkeeping. With Law the inspiration for the Scots, and Baxter their driving force, the home side were giving their best display against England for a very long time. The second half continued in the same pattern.

Midway through the half, after long spells of Scottish pressure, Haynes produced a fine effort which struck the crossbar and bounced down, seemingly over the line. But despite English protests, the referee, Holland's Leo Horn, waved play on. Several of the England players were convinced that the ball had crossed the line and after the game even Scotland's Caldow said that it had gone in, but to be fair, England hardly deserved it as Scotland had dominated.

Springett continued to shine as the mighty roar of a huge crowd grew to a crescendo, but with two minutes to go Scotland clinched the result with a deserved second goal. Law again began the move and when Swan handled St John's flick, the referee awarded a penalty. Caldow stepped up and sent Springett the wrong way to set up a never-to-be-forgotten roar of approval.

So, a sad day for England. Bobby Charlton, Bryan Douglas and Bobby Smith were largely anonymous and Jimmy Greaves seldom threatened. True, Greaves tried all his tricks to break free from the tough-tackling defenders and once he had Brown stretching full length to save a shot just inside the post. In the end, however, Scotland had proved too much for their guestsand delighted in that first win at Hampden against England for 25 years. To make it a double celebration, it clinched the Home Championship for them for the first time in 11 years.
  

For the first time in fifteen games, England failed to score and this was as much due to the tight Scottish defence as the misfiring of the England attack that had new Tottenham team-mates Jimmy Greaves and Bobby Smith back in harness. The Scots were determined to avenge their 9-3 hammering of 1961, and 'Slim' Jim Baxter, Pat Crerand and John White gave them midfield control, while Denis Law and lan St John were a couple of buzzsaws in attack. A Davie Wilson goal in the 13th minute and a penalty by Eric Caldow in the closing moments gave Scotland their first home victory over England since 1937.  Johnny Haynes claimed a goal when his shot bounced down off the underside of the bar, but the referee waved play on. For the first time for thirty-five years England had failed to win a match in the Home Championship. All the flair, the panache and the confidence of a year ago seemed to have disintegrated.
  

Source Notes

"KILMARNOCK FOR ENGLAND
"England are adopting the unusual course of playing a practice match against Kilmarnock, the Scottish League club, as part of their preparations for the International with Scotland at Hampden Park on Saturday week. The game will be played to-morrow week behind closed doors. England had intended playing practice games against Bolton Wanderers to-day week and against Burnley to-morrow week before travelling to Scotland for two days of light training at Ayr. Bolton and Burnley, however, meet in a league match next week and could not fit in the practice games. Mr W. Winterbottom has contacted the Kilmarnock manager, Mr W. Waddell, and the party will now travel to Scotland to-day week. They will play Kilmarnock the following day and complete their training at Ayr as planned." - Tuesday, 3 April 1962, Glasgow Herald.

"England's selectors, have released Haynes, their inside-left and captain against Scotland at Hampden to-day week, and Eastham, their reserve inside-forward, from their practice match against Kilmarnock on Wednesday. Fulham asked for Haynes for an English League match the same day against Arsenal, Eastham's club, Fulham are fighting relegation. On Monday, Haynes plays for Fulham against Burnley in the English Cup semi-final replay at Leicester. He and Eastham will join from England's party in Scotland on Thursday." - Saturday, 7 April 1962, Glasgow Herald.

"[England] worked hard during the morning training in brilliant sunshine in Ayr. Flowers, who collapsed because of catarrh on Wednesday, turned out. The team manager, Mr W. Winterbottom, and trainer, Mr H. Shepherdson, took over in the goals when the players had a six-a-side game" - Friday, 13 April 1962, Glasgow Herald.

TheFA.com
LondonHearts.com
Original newspaper reports
Rothman's Yearbooks
Mike Payne's England: The Complete Post-War Record (Breedon Books Publishing Company, Derby, U.K., 1993)
Norman Giller, Football Author
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CG