On this day 47 years ago, Udinese hosted Bath City at the Stadio Friuli looking to complete a historic treble. The team coached by Massimo Giacomini had already won the Serie C title and the semi-professional Coppa Italia and were now facing off against the English side in the final of the Anglo-Italian Cup.
The 1978 edition of the competition – which was held in various guises between 1970 and 1996, when it was abolished – involved six Italian clubs and six English clubs from the lower leagues. Two matchdays were held in England in March and two matchdays in Italy in June, followed by the final.
Udinese finished top of the Italian group with a draw and three wins against their English opponents: 1-1 against Maidstone United, 1-0 against Wealdstone, 3-1 against Bath City and 4-0 against Minehead.
Bath City, who won the Southern Football League the previous season, topped the English group and thus met Udinese at the Friuli in a one-off game with the trophy up for grabs.
As it turned out, the final was a one-sided affair, with Udinese going 3-0 up inside the first half an hour thanks to an Ulivieri double and a goal by Pellegrini. Pellegrini notched a second of his own after the break before Palese added a fifth to complete a 5-0 rout.
The Anglo-Italian Cup was Udinese's first international trophy. Two seasons later we won the Mitropa Cup, followed by the Intertoto Cup in 2000.
Udinese 5-0 Bath City (HT 3-0)
Scorers: Ulivieri 1, 11, Pellegrini 30, 54, Palese 71.
Udinese: Paleari, Osti, Fanesi, Leonarduzzi, Bonora, Riva, De Bernardi, Gustinetti, Pellegrini (Palese 64), Bencina, Ulivieri (Soro 46).
Coach: Giacomini.
Bath City: Allen, Ryan, Rogers, Burns, Bourne, Broom, Jenkins, Gibbs, Provan, Wheeler, Higgins.
Coach: Godfrey.