Four missed chances in the first 30 minutes cost Northern Ireland dearly in a game that was never as clear cut as the score suggests. If the Irish had not squandered those chances the story might have been different.

In that first half-hour, Ireland, urged on by their traditional passion and dedicated followers, put the England defence under extreme pressure. The visitors made a very tentative opening and McMorran twice missed with the simplest of headers from point-blank range. Soon afterwards Campbell and Crossan also failed to hit the target from clear positions.

The crisis passed as England gradually clawed themselves into the game. They started to search for openings in the Irish defence. Vernon, Cush and McMichael were outstanding for them and although the balance of attacks were now swinging England's way the Irish battled for everything.

The conditions were a little bit different from England's previous match, against Spain in the World Cup, and the cold October wind blowing down from Mount Colin brought some drizzle with it. The half seemed destined to end goalless but just before half-time the sun came out and with it England broke the deadlock by conjuring up a goal.

Not surprisingly the move developed down the left wing where Bobby Langton was giving Galloghy a torrid time. A swift inter-change with Eddie Baily set up the chance which the inside-left took gratefully, shooting past Kelly's left hand. The lead gave England time to rethink during the interval and they came out with a new strategy and a new determination. Suddenly Wilf Mannion became the focal point of their improvement.

The 63rd minute saw a decisive moment at both ends. First the referee refused an appeal for hands against Alf Ramsey, and then, 60 seconds later, following a swift counter-attack, Kelly failed to clear Baily's lob into the goalmouth and Jack Lee pounced to head the loose ball into the net.

Everyone thought that that was the end, but Ireland refused to lie down. Within six minutes the issue was wide open again as they pulled a goal back.

McMorran, an eager beaver all afternoon, chased a long clearance down wind and beat Allenby Chilton to the ball and shot on the turn to flick it over the advancing Bert Williams. Urged on by their crowd, the Irish threw everything at England and McMorran was unlucky with a shot that skimmed the bar.

England, however, met the challenge bravely. Inspired by the powerful Jimmy Dickinson, Billy Wright and Ramsey they weathered the storm and began to mount positive raids. Stanley Matthews came into the game at last and gradually the Irish began to wilt.

In the last five minutes, England scored two more goals. First Wright shot home through a crowd of players following a corner by Langton, and within a minute of that goal, Baily scored the best goal of the match with a clever hooked shot.

The match, although full of incident, has never reached the high standards of most internationals but England's performance was nonetheless satisfactory.
  

The previous season's overriding problem — that of building an assured, consistent team, and in particular, of finding an effective forward line and a reliable defence, continued to occupy the attention of the selectors in the 1950-51 season. But in spite of many experiments, it cannot be said that the problem was solved. England's performances, though often brilliant as in the match against Wales, were somewhat erratic, and the loss of the International Championship to Scotland was not altogether unexpected.

The International season opened on October 7th, when England beat Ireland by 4 goals to one. The result was by no means a fair reflection of the play, for Ireland took most of the honours in a fast-moving game. The England team, which included two new caps, Lee and Chilton, put up a disappointing performance; the forwards were apt to be thrown of their game by the spirited Irish tackling; and mistakes by the English defence made several openings for Ireland.
Ireland attacked determinedly from the kick-off and but for missed chances might have scored in the first half-hour. England were fortunate to be a goal ahead at half-time after Baily had scored with a simple shot in the 43rd minute.
Ireland were again on the offensive at the re-start, but England's superior team work now began to show, and 19 minutes after the interval Lee headed a second goal for England. Twenty minutes from the end the Irish centre-forward McMorran, who in spite of early mistakes, was playing a fine aggressive game, gave Ireland their only goal. In the last five minutes, the Irish defence crumbled, and Wright and Baily each scored for England.