1990 FA Cup Final: Manchester United vs Crystal Palace

Match Report

Wembley's first all-seater crowd for the best-known prize in the game witnessed a thriller. Palace led through Gary O'Reilly, who got his head to a free kick which appeared to hit Gary Pallister en-route for goal, then Bryan Robson scored with a near-post header helped by a deflection from Palace full-back John Pemberton. Once level, United pressed forward and more chances came both before and after Mark Hughes scored his first goal of the Cup campaign, slamming in a low, right-footed volley in the 62nd minute.

Eight minutes later Steve Coppell sent Wright into the battle and the player who twice during the season had been out of action because of a fractured shin showed just why he was rated one of the top strikers in the country. His speed deceived United's defence and in the 73rd minute he rifled home a shot after cutting through the Reds' right flank.

Just before the end of the first 90 minutes Lee Martin had limped off with cramp, Clayton Blackmore taking over. Level again the game went into extra time and it looked as if disaster had hit the Reds. In the space of two minutes they were trailing 3-2 and had lost Gary Pallister. He went over on his ankle, hobbled off and was replaced by Mark Robins shortly after Wright had scored his second goal. Palace were reaching closer for victory by the minute, United's defence was depleted and even semi-final hero Robins could do little to lift his colleagues: "It was funny, though", Robins said later. "When I came on I didn't think that we were going to lose, and after Sparky scored the equaliser I thought we had done enough to win it". Hughes scored his second with just eight minutes left, and it was sufficient to force a replay on Thursday night. The day after the final United went empty-handed on a tour of Manchester aboard an open-topped bus, the homecoming having been arranged in advance.

There was doubt about the injured Gary Pallister and Lee Martin who had suffered cramp in both the semi-finals and final was another problem for the United manager. Would Fergie gamble on Pallister's fitness, would Martin be too much of a risk? Cramp had hit other players during the Saturday game, none more so than Paul Ince, who almost scored a dramatic winner during extra time yet suffered for his efforts.Gary Pallister announced: 'I feel OK today, I think I'll be fine by Thursday'. In spite of his optimism, the 6ft 4 defender needed a pain-killing jab before he took part in the replay.

On Thursday 17 May Wembley was packed once again as the United fans reacted to the stadium announcement that Jim Leighton was out of the side. Alex Ferguson decided to drop Leighton because of his unsteady looking performance on Saturday and hand the goalkeeper's jersey to Les Sealey, the loan of whom from Luton Town was extended by two days after the final so that he would be eligible for the replay. Some looked shocked, others began to chant the name of Les Sealey. It was the only change to the team that started the game the previous Saturday.

Both Martin and Pallister were able to play, and for one of them it was to be a night he would never forget. Crystal Palace lost any friends they had made through their sporting approach in the original game as straight from the kick-off they stamped out their intent. They were going to kick United off the park. Players were booked as United were fouled on and off the ball and referee Alan Gunn had his hands full keeping the game under control. Most of the aggression came from Steve Coppell's side. The match was scrappy - there were stoppages every minute or so and at half-time the only scoring efforts had come from Neil Webb, who bent a shot into the side netting, and a Palace free kick which Sealey did well to stop with his legs.

In the second half Palace's man-to-man marking began to go wrong and United broke away from the shackles. Neil Webb and Paul Ince showed their flair and holes began to appear in the Palace defence. Almost on the hour United flowed down the right wing, and Webb left defenders gasping as he stepped over scything challenges. On the other side of the field Lee Martin was sprinting forward, struggling to free himself from the attentions of close-marking opponents. Webb hit a right-footed cross. It was a precise, accurate pass. The ball floated over the heads of the Palace back four and into the path of Martin as he entered the penalty area. He met the ball, controlled it and hit a powerful right- footed shot which went between Martyn and his near post. It was an accurate, clinical kick, unstoppable by any goalkeeper. The ball hit the net to unleash an explosion of sound and Martin threw himself backwards to celebrate his goal and was buried under the bodies of his team-mates.

Lee Martin had found a permanent place in the history of Manchester United. He had scored the goal which won the FA Cup in a game he could so easily have missed. The remaining minutes were dominated by United. Ince was the man of the match and Bryan Robson hit the crossbar with another scoring chance. As for goalkeeper Sealey, he did all that was asked of him and punched the sky with sheer delight as the final whistle went.