WITH ten seconds to go and the home crowd despairing of victory in a crucial cup game, a fiery young winger scored a wonder goal that is still being talked about half a century later.

West Auckland winger Dicky Briggs defied a blustery wind to float a corner straight into the goal of FA Amateur Cup opponents Billingham Synfonia, snatching a dramatic 3-2 win for his side.

Mr Briggs' friends and family recalled the golden moment as they paid tribute to his skills, following his death at the age of 75.

West Auckland's vice-chairman, Les Nevison, was one of 2,500 spectators packed into the club's snow-covered Darlington Road ground for the 1956 tie.

He said: "We were 2-0 down with seven minutes to go and we got three goals. Dicky took three corners and the last one went straight in.

"Nobody could believe it, especially the Billingham lads. I still keep in touch with them and we still talk about it."

Although West Auckland were famous as the first winners of football's World Cup at the beginning of the last century, the closest they came to the Amateur trophy was a 2-1 final defeat to Walthamstow in 1961.

Sunderland-born Mr Briggs played for them during the 1950s, arriving from RAF Leeming where he was serving as a radar operator.

He went on to coach Evenwood Juniors, but maintained his link with West Auckland, serving on the committee for 18 years.

His widow, Brenda, said: "The goal against Billingham is what everybody remembers him for.

"I was at the game but I left just before he scored. We thought they were losing.

"He was a feisty left winger on the field but a quiet man off it.

"In later years he lived for his family, especially for his granddaughters."

Mr Briggs, who lived in Front Street, also leaves sons Richard and Stanley. A funeral service was held at West Auckland Methodist Church yesterday morning.