1953 FA Charity Shield

The game was played between Arsenal, champions of the 1952–53 Football League and Blackpool, who had beaten Bolton Wanderers to win the 1953 FA Cup Final.

Against the run of play, however, Arsenal equalised through Tommy Lawton and in the second half they went ahead when Doug Lishman reacted first to a rebounded shot.

[9] Blackpool refused to reveal their team until the evening of 12 October, but manager Joe Smith did confirm to the press that Matthews would start.

[9] On a foggy, floodlit night at Highbury, it was the visitors who dominated the early proceedings; The Times football correspondent assessing that Blackpool's forward line had "…flowed sweetly, the ball on the ground in the most lovely [sic], sweeping movements.

Breaking forward with the ball from the half-way line, Matthews combined with his team-mate Ernie Taylor, which culminated in Stan Mortensen getting the better of his marker and shooting past Kelsey.

[3] Once play resumed in the second half, Blackpool struggled to reproduce the same kind of intensity that had merited their earlier lead.

[2] Ten minutes before the end, a cross by Don Roper into Blackpool’s penalty area was headed down by Lawton; the ball reached Lishman who scored again to make sure of Arsenal's win.