J Speirs
RG Campbell
Reid
Skene
Match Information
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: James A. Faichnie (Falkirk)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Not since the days of the once-dreaded Dumbarton team, who shared joint-championship honours with the Rangers in the first year of the Scottish League competition in 1890-91, has any club produced a team so closely resembling in style and movement that dreaded Boghead combination as this Falkirk eleven who are making such a bold bid for the championship. From back to forward the players’ chief desire is to keep sending the ball towards their opponents’ goal. Rarely one witness backs and half-back so skilful in the art of driving straight ahead as the present Brockville Park team. Despite the troublesome wind t Ibrox, it was astonishing how well Leishman and Gibson, the Falkirk backs, and the men directly in front of them kept the ball in the field of play, and how eager and determined the side as a whole were to keep on the move. Against a yielding defence it is easy to understand how Falkirk results are so lopsided. The players never slacken. Restless and eager to follow up the slightest advantage they gave their opponents no peace. An active, plodding, sturdy lot, flushed with a long spell of success they faced the Rangers with every confidence on Saturday. For a long time fates were against them, and it was only in the closing minutes of strenuous game that Clyde Skene, from a among a crowd of players took advantage of an open view of the Rangers goal and managed to rob the ‘Light Blues’ of a win. The latter December blast from the east spoiled what held out the promise of a brilliant struggle, while the fierce unscrupulous tackling of a section among the players, ruined the play as far as beauty of movement was concerned. Instead of skilful dribbling, and fast passing on a hard ground, we saw a succession of sharp tackling bouts, with the side having the wind astern monopolising the attacks – the Rangers pressing most in the first half and Falkirk in the second. Every forward was marked by the half-backs, and the individual in possession of the ball was lucky to escape being brought down if he tried to dribble through. No player received such a gruelling as the leading Scottish scoring forward, John Simpson, whose eclipse was compassed by an opponent who treated him mercilessly. If ever forward paid the penalty of greatness it was the Falkirk right-winger. The moment he got foot on the ball there came by on the scene the raking, studding Galt, and the next moment the force of the charge saw one, and sometimes both prostrate. In the second half temper were pronounced and stoppages frequent. May, Smith and Simpson were the chief victims, but most of the players, from half-back out suffered in this tearing, worrying game. It was perhaps unfortunate that a Falkirk gentleman was deputed to handle it, but in trying circumstances Mr JA Farchnie discharged a difficult duty with tactful ability and impartiality. The Rangers scored both their goals in the first half, the first off a shot from Speirs, which was deflected by Collins, and the second when play was fully twenty minutes gone, after deceptive clever work by RG Campbell. Between time Reid put one for Falkirk from a free kick. The Rangers best attacks came in this portion, but the forwards judged the high ball and wind badly. Gibson and Leishman served their team nobly, and there was no semblance of weakness, suggested by some folks in the Falkirk defence. The half-back were clever, as the Rangers trio, Collins showing unexpected grit. Anderson was the ablest of the three, and the nearest approached on the field to Galt for robust tactics. John May was the cleverest of the six, and never played better in any previous season. The forwards were dominated by the defence, Smith and Speirs being most effective on the home side – Kyle was badly out of it and Mitchell and McTavish for Falkirk. A division of honours was a fair indication of the game. The attendance exceeded 25,000, and the gross takings yielded £680 stand, £1200, which has never been exceeded in a December match on the Rangers ground
