J Bowie
T Cairns
Match Information
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: unknown - to be confirmed
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Hibernian needed any bit of luck going at Ibrox Park, and they got none. Gordon, their centre half-back, headed the ball through his own goal less than a minute after the start. That was a set-back, but when Cairns pushed home a second goal seven minutes later, and Bowie a third before the game was half an hour old, the Easter Road them had as much chance of surviving as a handsome bachelor at the seaside. During this period of Rangers’ domination, their forwards played really clever football – fast passes, deft dribbling, good centring by the wing men, and some terrific shooting by Cairns – not to speak of a shot by Sergt Gordon that nearly bored a hole in the good Hibernian goalkeeper. Bur for McManus the Rangers’ score might have been anything. For the Leith half-backs were at this time being easily played through, so that Borthwick and Doran caught the full weight of the attack. Before the interval the Hibernian team shaped out better. Meaney, as clever a forward as was on the field, was such a hot handful for Martin and Blair that Hempsey never knew what to expect. Kilpatrick joined in the forays with Meaney, and between them they added some bits of excitement to a match that had threatened to go all the one way. By swinging the ball about, the Edinburgh men on restarting troubled the Rangers defence for a bit, but they couldn’t quite ‘get there.’ In due time the Rangers forwards set sail again, and the valiant – and successful – efforts of the Hibernian defence to keep them from adding to their score remained the feature to the end. Despite their unflattering record, the Hibernian are not a wholly bad lot, but they have a few bad patches that want mending. McManus in goal could not have done better. Borthwick and Doran would have been all right behind better half-backs. It is in the middle line that the team is weakest, although ‘Barney’ Smith gave glimpses of real half-back play, and should be a very useful member. Walker the Pollock boy, made a promising start at Centre, and the right wing was delightfully clever – when it as served with the ball – but the left was out of count owing to the weakness of Willie Smith. By the way, Meaney, I thought, had a very good claim for a penalty in the first half, when ‘hands’ prevented him consummating a specially good run. Rangers’ rearranged forward line ought to have pleaed them. McDiarmid confirmed me in the belief that the left wing is the place for him. He dribbled and centred like a natural winger. He had a good partner in Muirhead, who gives a nice pass and plays with any amount of vim. If only Cairns would slip the ball out to either wing more, he would be a paying centre. Apart from his liking for too often going for a non-stop run. ‘Tommy’ did very well indeed. Archibald was most effective when getting the ball across without going too far. Bowie was quite himself. There was nothing especially distinctive about the half-back play. Gordon, however, showed some of his old touches and was near getting the goal he seemed so keen for. Martin, after going through the mill in the first half, got a fairly good hold of his wing later on. At right back McQueen gave a nice display, but I have seen Blair better. It was curious that the little Hempsey got to do was difficult, and he did well to avoid loss in the first half
