S Duncan 15
Match Information
Attendance: 18,000
Referee: A Allan (Glasgow)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
I travelled to Greenock for two special reasons. I was eager to see how Buchanan, fresh from Bradford, would lead the Morton attack, and to have my first peep at Scott Duncan as a Ranger. I was satisfied with what I say those men do. Buchanan failed to accept a tolerably good scoring chance, but otherwise, for a first appearance, he did very well indeed. Big and strong, a quite good shot, and possessed of a fair turn of speed, I have hopes that at Cappielow the old Benburb boy will yet fulfil the high expectations John McCartney and Tom Maley once had regarding him. I was favourably impressed with Scott Duncan. What I liked best about him was his straightforward go-ahead style. There is no unnecessary work or over-elaboration about his play. He believes in getting along, and slashing the ball across the goal as quickly as possible. Scott Duncan’s movements were in marked contrast to those of young Paterson, who occupied the other Ibrox extreme wing position. There are few – of any – cleverer foot-workers than the youthful son of the manse. But in this instance the cleverness was often overdone. You can have too much of even a good thing. Paterson would be well advised to content himself with beating one man, and to centre oftener and shoot less. What’s the use of having a sharp shooting centre-forward if he is not supplied with the ball? Reid had an off day – almost. His attempts to score – and not one of them was of the usual deadly type – could be counted on the fingers of one hand. For this I hold Bowie, Bennett and Paterson - and James Stark – partly responsible, but the centre forward himself was not wholly blameless. He seemed less keen than usual, and the inside players were just a trifle more wingy than I have seen them this season. Of course, the line was up against something. I was told that a fortnight ago the Celtic forwards at times bewildered the Morton half-backs. It is difficult to understand how that was done. At their best – and I have seldom found them otherwise – Wright, Stark and May take some bewildering. The Rangers got them that way, hence the comparative scrappiness of their attack. Morton owe much to this division, which was at least the equal of the corresponding Ibrox trio. All six were grafters, and if Logan excelled, it was by reason of his two or three almost superhuman successful efforts to extricate his side from tight corners. In a defensive connection Logan stands alone. But he also knows the value of a sharp, short forward slip to his centre. He gave Reid perhaps his finest pass of the afternoon. Joe Hendry had a hot afternoon’s work against the best wing afield – Seymour and Gourlay. I fancied Gourlay when I saw him play centre forward for Everton against Celtic last back end. I liked him better as an outside right at Kirkcaldy on the opening Saturday of the season, I liked him best of all against the Rangers. A strong forcing brainy forward, he worried the Ibrox defence to some tune, and made splendid openings for his fellows. Gourlay’s English partner responded nobly. Seymour who is a left wing player, comported himself equally well on the right. He centred nicely, and shared with the old Port Glasgow man and Clark the honour of delivering the three best shots of the game. I have a notion that Morton would have snatched a point had Torrance or JH McLaughlin been available. As it was, the Rangers, if the more polished side, were lucky to win. Scott Duncan will never score a softer goal than that which gave the verdict to Ibrox when the match was thirteen and a half minutes old. Reid out of a scramble, sent along to Paterson, the left winger crossed, and Duncan nodded a stingless ball into the net between Bradford and an upright. I certainly blame the Greenock custodian for the loss of the point – and the match. Nothing he did before or afterwards could atone for this lapse I cannot recall Hempsey doing better in the Rangers goal. Among his old friends he excelled himself. Of four good backs, I liked best Campbell. ‘R G’ did little running. It was unnecessary. He waited on the ball, which invariably came to him to be returned instantly. The big felloe’s kicking was exceptionally clean and well times. Muir was harassed more than usual. As a consequence his kicking was scarcely so stylish as I have seen it. Still he came through a trying ordeal with credit. Like Stark and May, Craig always revels in his work when opposed to his former Ibrox comrades. He did so again, and with Ferrier made up a Cappielow back division which bettered the one I saw perform against Raith Rovers. The Yoker Athletic lad promise exceptionally well
