Saints first FA Cup game at holders was welcoming Chelsea to the Dell for an FA Cup 3rd round tie

Chelsea had finished well behind Saints in the second division in 75/76, but in 76/77 they were going great guns and as we prepared to defend the cup we were definately second favourites to go through with the Blues top of the pile and us languishing in 16th place and very much a work in progress as Lawrie McMenemy rebuilt the team. However McMenemy wasnt playing the underdog as he did at Wembley eight months earlier and in the build uip reminded all and sundry that Saints were unbeaten in the FA Cup for two years. 

26,401 packed into the Dell for the tie including around 6,000 Chelsea fans mostly in the Archers Road end of the ground with Saints kicking towards them in the first half, the Saints line up contained seven of those that had played at Wembley with Wells in goal, Manny Andruzewski in defence, Alan Ball in midfield and Ted MacDougal upfrong replacing Ian Turner, Peter Rodrigues, Paul Gilchrist and Bobby Stokes respectively although Stokes was on the bench. 

The opening minutes were fast and furious with both sides having their chances not least Alan Ball who had two cleared off the line is succession just after the ten minute mark, but it was Chelsea who took the lead in the 34th minute when Locke tore down Saints left and unleashed a blistering shot past Peter Wells in the Saints goal and that was how it remained at half time.

It didnt take Saints long after the break to equalise 11 minutes to be exact when Channon hooked home a loose ball and thats the way it stayed till the end with the game not living up to the sparkle of the first half in the second.

So four days later the teams met again at Stamford Bridge on a crisp January evening as Saints travelled to the scene of their semi final triumph the previous year, 42,688 packed into the ground, exactly 38 more than had seen the league meeting earlier in the season where Chelsea had won 3-1.

There were a lot more Saints supporters there for this game though although it was hard to spot them in the unsegregated North Stand, Chelsea had a terrible reputtion for hooliganism back then and it was a daunting evening for those Saints fans standing there that night.

Chelsea had all the early running as you would expect and the muddy pitch would not help an unchanged Saints side containing a few veterans who liked to pass the ball. but although Saints spent much of the half on the back foot they got into the half time dressing room scoreless.

But in the second half Saints seemed to adapt to the conditions more and although they had more of the play they couldnt score and the game was still at deadlock after 90 minutes, but when you looked at the two sides getting their half time team talk you just felt that Saints had the stamina and drive that Chelsea didnt, only problem was the thousands of Chelsea boot boys on the North Stand who didnt look like they would take defeat graciously.

The first half of extra time was also goaless, but then after two minutes of the restart there was a goal, Alan Ball ankle deep in the mud found the energy to hit a cross field pass to Mick hannon on the left who brought the ball down, wrong footed his marker and crossed for Ted MacDougal to slot home.

The flood gates were now open and Chelsea were torn to shreds, MacDougal nearly added a second and Osgood went close on his return to his old stamping ground, before Ball hit another pass to Channon who sped through the Chelsea defence rounded the keeper and slotted it home, helsea were beaten and as the crowd started to leave in their droves and the Chelsea meatheads scanned the crowd for celebrating Saints fans, David Peach scored another penalty on the same ground he had scored his memorable semi final one nine months earlier.

To say it was dangerous for a group of 15 year old kids to get out of that ground is no understatement, all Saints colours were well hidden, that in itself a first indication of who you supported in those days when a scarf was deemed compulsory for football fans of all ages and we all seemed to make a good job of looking well hacked off, a quick slink through the back streets to the coach park and finally find the coach, one of the most relieved moments in my Saints supporting career I can tell you.             

Photo: Action Images

saintgus added 17:26 - Jan 3 i seem to remember the first game being a little tasty on the terraces
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