J Smith 37
Missed Penalties
B McPhail pen miss 31
Match Information
Attendance: 87,740
Referee: H Watson (Glasgow)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Rangers retained possession of the Scottish cup at Hampden yesterday, and that they were entitled to do so even the most perfervid of Hamilton supporters will admit. But I must say that only by a hairs breadth did they win at the first time of asking. Five minutes or so from the end, Wilson was given a great chance to score, but his feet got a bit mixed, and the wearer of a light blue jersey stepped in to gain possession and clear. It was a grand game to watch, one that entertained and thrilled, and it provided another boost for out great national game. Long may we have such displays of fast-moving, clean-cut, skilful football. At the beginning of things Hamilton produced a liveliness that might have upset a more balanced team than Rangers. Not one man of the Douglas Park eleven seemed to be affected by the bigness of the occasion. Even Morgan, brought in at the last minute in place of the injured Shelvin played as though born to the role. He was almost cheeky in some of his tactics, leaving his goal with cool deliberation to intercept yards from his charge when danger threatened. The Accies were the ones to and quick to seize on chances to send Gillick and Main away on adventurous raids. McPhail, at times a fourth half-back, was the mainspring of these foraging movements, and occasionally had a go himself. Drawing the opposition to him and tricking a member of it before slipping one to Gillick or crossing a wide, sweeping pass to the outside right. The Hamilton attack was developed mainly on the left and through the centre. When Wilson got possession, we saw a grand understanding between him and Harrison. The centre, part of whose greatness lies in his unselfishness, twice hooked the ball for Harrison to go through, but the inside left was just a trifle unfortunate that the ball aways went from his connecting foot that vital yard or so too far for him to make up on it. Reid found Gray an awkward customer to get past, chiefly because Dougie played the cat-and-mouse game, waiting for the most part to see what the winger did, and then pouncing at the proper time, seldom actually taking the initiative and going in. When Reid did get away, he slung over a dangerous cross, and on two occasions his efforts brought forth wild cheers from the Lanarkshire folk, and a roar of anxiety from the Ibrox faithful. In that first twenty minutes or so, Hamilton set the pace, but they could not get through the Ibrox defence, in which Simpson, in that period, was a bit shaky, but McDonald the master. A grand tactician, the Irishman. Gradually Rangers power developed, and with their style of forward play which they have made the orthodox they slowly but surely got the upper hand. McPhail was the big man in the attack and Gillick always ready to join in. Bit it was Venters who actually brought about danger, and he looked like going through when he was brought down. In the penalty area. McPhail took the kick, fired it too straight, and Morgan got to the ball. The shot was so fast, however, that the keeper could not hold it. McPhail followed up, but the goalkeeper, on his knees, threw himself forward and fisted clear. Great save, young man! Shortly before that, I thought Hamilton should have been given a penalty award. Simpson, who was obviously puzzled by the Wilson-Harrison understanding, was beaten by the centre, whom he pushed in a glaring manner. In the thirty-seven minute Rangers scored. The Hamilton defence was a bit mixed. Morgan jumped out, only to fist spreading his legs, got his left foot to the leather to guide it over the goal-line, where Wallace, in a desperate effort to save, smacked it into the net. With the manner in which Rangers were now playing the game looked good for them, but four minutes after the restart Hamilton headed a goal. The ball came from the left, Wilson rose to it, made connection but headed it high. Then King came in and headed it in the direction of Harrison, who nodded it home. Hardner than ever the teams went at it, always keeping the crowd a-roarin, and making everybody wonder what would happen next. But Rangers continued to be the stronger of the two. Hamilton were slick enough but attacked with dart-like movements in comparison to the more solid affairs of Rangers. Twelve minutes after the equaliser, Rangers took the lead. The ball went over the goal-line after a tussle between Gillick and Wallace. It was a near thing between a goal-kick and a flag-kick. The referee decided on the latter, and Gillick right-footed it to the far post. Smith was there waiting, and his bulk could be seen rising above everything else as he actually got his head above the ball to head it down and into the net. About fifteen minutes from the end, Hamilton gave the impression of easing off, but they came again when Wilson nearly got home, as in have described, and till the very last kick the crowd were kept thrilled. I repeat a great game, and surely comparable with any of the thrilling displays of the past. Most of it was played in drenching rain, and on a sodden turf that echoed the swish of the ball. Not one man of the twenty-two but deserves praise. All gave of their best, and in the calm of the aftermath I really think this contest will go down as one of the purple patches in a season that has provided fine stuff, and gives us hope that football, at last, has definitely recovered from the ravages of the war era. McPhail missed a 12th minute penalty
