Match ended 0-0
Match Information
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: unknown - to be confirmed
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Tramcar travellers who ‘scooted’ out Rutherglen way or vice-versa on Saturday afternoon must have wondered what was wrong within the Shawfield enclosure. A sort of Sunday calm prevailed. For its size, it was the quietest football crowd I ever mingled with. Twenty thousand people were present, but shouts were as scarce, almost, as thrills, frills or goals. To be candid, I must put it down in cold print that this Clyde-Rangers’ Glasgow Cup tie, to which thousands beside myself looked forward to for much excitement, fell flat. It was dull as ditchwater almost. Which was surprising! True, the wind at times was a trifle troublesome and the footing a little greasy; but surely First League players, even in war time, should have risen superior much oftener than they did to these more or less trivial handicaps. Certain men did – others didn’t. Short of beating Shingleton, Bowie behaved pretty much as he jolly well liked. So did Blair. Cairns was happy most of the two hours the game dragged on its weary way. Thorpe and Farrell have probably never done better in any match, and the goalkeepers were OK; but the others, well – few of them struck a bright patch often. One who did so was Archibald. I don’t know whether or not the Rangers’ ‘Fifer’ had been ‘lectured’ for his many sins of omission and commission at Firhill the previous Saturday, but for the greater part of the first half he comported himself very well indeed. He seldom waited to beat his man and risk getting ‘left’; indeed, he lifted the ball into the middle slick and sharp or let go a shot on his own. The result was that during this period Archibald spoon-fed by Bowie, was an out-and-out success – that the Rangers did not cross over with a lead of two or three goals was no fault of his. Shingleton came to the rescue often; but, clever and lucky as the little fellow undoubtedly was, he could not have kept his end up had the Rangers possessed a forward in the middle who could finish. Many balls came across from the right, and a few from the left, that simply shrieked to be sent home. Save for a couple of break-away and short centres by Morris, the last of which looked dangerous, it was all, or nearly all, Rangers, for twenty minutes, but the play lacked fire and the crowd never became enthusiastic. Then it found its voice for the first time as Bowie drove in a stinger – a truly great shot. Shingleton got hold of it, but the next second Clyde’s bacon was saved as if by a miracle. The ball travelled across the goal, with plenty Rangers on the spot, but nary an one ready to accept his opportunity, and the movement ended by Shingleton picking up an apologetic attempt of McDiarmid’s. Following this, Rae’s shot from Morris’s pass was blocked the next minute the Shawfield centre drove past when in fine position, and then Ibrox returned ‘Shingletonwards.’ Cairns’ next centre found all the defenders at fault, but nothing doing; a nice shot from Archibald, Shingleton caught against the near upright, a grounder from Cairns found the keeper ready. McDiarmid failed to clinch a perfect cross from the same foot, Lawson shot wildly over, when a goal seemed a certainty. But why weary you with many more details of this drab tie? I mention these incidents just to show you how the play went – the period described really rescribes the whole two hours of this unsatisfactory match, in which we had to be content with ‘corners’ when goals were there for the ‘Light Blues’ for the picking up. At the close Mr Dougary confirmed my figures – Rangers 14 Clyde 2. Rangers’ luck was out, I admit, and surely never more than in the second portion of the extra half-hour, when the ball simply refused to go through for Cairns; yet for their non-success they have themselves to blame. The better team, they had far and away the major share of the play and the greater number of scoring opportunities; still they might have lost. What would have happened had someone not dashed along and snipped up Morris’s last centre I can only conjecture, but to say the least of it, it looked a good thing for Shawfield. What a turn up it would have been had the harassed Clyde snapped a victory! At the danger of being accused of painting the lily, I must refer again to Bowie. His general play was delightful and his opening-out work grand. Archibald was well attended to, but the other wing and the centre were not forgotten. Cairns’ one fault was tendency towards individualism – ‘Tommy’ was just a shade too eager; and Archibald’s display was uneven. Stick to your first-half game, Archibald. That way lies success. In a faulty placing middle line I liked best Dixon, because of his robust defensive work. Pursell was only so-so, and Martin little better. The Bo’ness soldier is off his game. Blair was the best of four good backs. When I say that Thorpe and Farrell compared favourably with the old Ashfield man I award the Shawfield rear pair no small measure of praise. The half-backs were only moderate, and the forwards, while clever enough on occasion did not keep the game swinging as they should. Too many of the nest McGowan’s passes went to the feet of opponents. Chambers was too excited to do himself justice, and Shimmons I have never seen to so little advantage. Morris, clean and clever, impressed me most in a line which I take it, missed much the steadying influence of G Watson, who I am assured, has been playing splendid football since the season started. Guy had the surgeon’s lance applied on Friday. His ailment if painful is not serious, but one cant’s play football with a stiff neck
