Match ended 0-0
Match Information
Attendance: 50,000
Referee: H Humphrey (Greenock)
Matchday: Monday
Match Trivia
Including soldiers there would be round about 50,000 people at Ibrox yesterday, but I wouldn’t like to say that those fated to stand out in the rain in the second half were much enamoured of what they saw. The game was hard enough – indeed, every inch of ground was keenly contested; but the play lacked the swing and beauty one is inclined to associate with our two leading clubs. For this I blame two things. The great strength of the respective back divisions and the inability or the disinclination - call it what you will – of the intermediate players to co-operate with those in front of them. All six middle men were right on the job in the spoiling or destructive sense, but only McMaster made any real shape at constructive work. This was reflected in the play of McMenemy and Browning, who made up the best wing on the field. ‘Napoleon’ showed much of his old craft, and his stuffy little Dumbartonshire partner got ahead with his usual dash and crossed quite a number of splendid balls. I don’t mean to say that Celtic were so much better side than Rangers that they should have won, but I feel that had a player of Gallagher’s penetrative power been on the spot they would have got at least one goal before the interval. A Gallagher was only wanted midway through the first half to put the copestone on a great shot of Browning’s, which Hempsey first fumbled and then fell on. Connelly did quite nicely once in possession, but when it came to facing up to the powerful Ibrox defence – well, he didn’t face up as ‘Patsy’ would. McAtee was particularly lively. He often beat his man cleverly, and in at least one instance had hard luck in not scoring with a lightning shot. McColl was also in fine fettle, but as I have already indicated he, like the others, missed the support he should have got from behind. In the Rangers attack Scott Duncan got away smartly and stylishly and shot with force, but his direction was faulty. Several of these shots came near enough to be described as ‘hard lines’ by some folks, but the fact is he didn’t finish just as he ought – and he had one or two rare good scoring chances. Bowie got several really fine balls to either wing and was fairly successful, but Martin does not conform to my idea of what a left-winger should be. Lawson did several clever things, but over the piece he was over shadowed by the craftier and weightier McNair. C Duncan was a better centre than in any previous game I have seen him. He whipped several sharp ball into Shaw’s goal, and five or six minutes from the close he was brought down within the line when a score seemed likely. A pretty confident claim was made for a penalty, but I think Mr Humphreys was right in ignoring it. Prior to this the Ibrox centre, splendidly placed, jus failed to get enough of the ball or Shaw would have had to be bestir himself to avert disaster. McNair was at his very best. The Stenhousemuir icicle for the greater part of the time held the Ibrox left wing in the hollow of his hand. Dodds was as usual – nippy and safe; still the Parkhead pair were no more stable than Blair and Manderson. The speedy Irishman is improving, I think. Most of the thrills were reserved for the closing twenty minutes when Celtic’s play, which had been a trifle too close and studied opened out. The Rangers’ goal was in jeopardy several times, but the defence was invulnerable. The persistent Celtic attack was stalled off, and as I have already told you, the ‘Light Blues’ came very near to picking up the goal which would have won the match. When all is said and done the result is the fairest reflex we could have of the run of the play in this, one of the very friendliest and cleanest games ever played between Scotland’s greatest rivals. We were regaled with some hefty charging now and then, but of real rough play there was none to speak of, which is just as it should be.
