Liverpool 2 Everton 1

 Some things just sound good, some things don't. Saturday 14th April 2012 started with an alarm going off at 5am but from then on it was all uphill. The M6 and the M1 were full of cars with Liverpool and Everton scarves and flags, the motorway services were packed at half past six in the morning, cars were pulled up on the hard shoulder as their passengers brought their 'nervous tension' back up on to the grass verges. Yes, Merseyside moved south for the day. The train from Watford Junction bought us to our first destination, Wembley Central.

As the new stadium came into view the excitement built. It has to be said that for the early part of the day almost everything visible was Evertonian, the Reds arrived at the party a little later, something which was to be echoed on the pitch in the early afternoon sunshine. This was my first trip to the new Wembley and it was impressive. I've heard so many stories about how it's in the middle of an industrial estate and there's nothing around there but in truth it's only five minutes walk from the shops, pubs and eateries of Wembley town centre, not quite in the same league as visits to the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff but still much more hospitable than I'd been led to believe.

 Reds and Blues who had traveled together walked side by side along Wembley Way up to the stadium, all anticipating an occasion that to both sides almost felt like a final rather than simply the step before the showpiece game. I have to say that over recent years the Derby games have taken on a nastier edge with both sets of fans guilty at times of going over the top in their chanting at each other, what had been dubbed 'the friendly derby' had certainly lost it's warm edge in favour of something sharper. But yesterday the two sets of fans mixed perfectly on the coaches, the trains, the pavements and the walkways around the stadium. It's hard to imagine it would have been possible to walk so freely around the stadium in full colours if it had been Liverpool vs Man Utd. The hate between Liverpool and Everton may be very evident in the stands but on the streets the Merseyside rivalry was exactly how it should be.

 The FA Cup is the oldest and probably most famous domestic cup competition in the world, and the trophy just looks special. The ESPN broadcast team of Ray Stubbs, John Barnes, Kevin Keegan, Graeme Sharp and Martin Keown spent plenty of time preparing for the game right in front of us.

 The Kop had moved to our nations capital for the day, bringing down all of our banners and our noise and passion, it was an amazing sight. Representatives from our troops brought out flags for both teams before kick off. The noise and atmosphere built and built in anticipation of the kick off and expectation of victory, both sides not wanting to contemplate losing. The journey to Wembley is long but the journey home for the defeated is even longer, especially for those traveling on coaches or in cars carrying both Reds and Blues. Who would be the ones singing and smiling at the final whistle?

 Coming only one day before the anniversary of the Hillsborough tragedy there was a real emotion running through the stands. Both Reds and Blues held 'Don't Buy The Sun' posters, Liverpool fans called for a deeper inquest into the events of that fateful day. 'Justice for the 96' was yelled at the top of  our voices, people not even born on the day of the tragedy but brought up on the stories of the day's events shared their feelings too, there are some things that divide Liverpool fans but this subject is one that unites us all.

  A period of silence before kick off was observed perfectly by all in the ground, a real tribute to the families still suffering the effects of the day in South Yorkshire back in 1989. There was also a special reception for the family of Gary Ablett, the only man to win the FA Cup with both Liverpool and Everton.
The stage was now set for the game and everybody was ready. As Howard Webb's whistle started the match the noise grew even more, both sets of fans getting right behind their teams.

 I'm not going to write too much about the actual match today, I'll go into more detail about that later in the week, today's post is more about the occasion. When Jelavic put Everton 1-0 up it didn't look good, we hadn't really threatened going forwards and we were quite clearly not rock solid at the back. Half time changed everything and the manager deserves credit for that. We came out fighting in the second half, Carroll coming close almost immediately after the restart. Once we got our attackers playing in sync with eeach other we were far more threatening. Out front five of Downing, Henderson, Carroll, Suarez and Distin gelled well and two of them combined for our equaliser, the Uruguayan finishing expertly from the Frecnhman's inch perfect through ball. The winner from Carroll's header a few minutes from time brought pandemonium to the stands, a surge to the front at the Red end and a tidal wave towards the exits at the opposite end.

Hard work and chasing down

Keep ball in the corner

  The final whistle brought jubilant scenes in the travelling Kop, and an impressive view of a sea of Blue quickly becoming an ocean of Red at the far end of the stadium. The journey home had just got much longer for some and a whole lot shorter for others.