McPhail
Match Information
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: W Bell (Hamilton)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Rangers were defeated at Rugby Park. This gravely imperils their chances of the championship, if it does not altogether kill them. There was a dull minute in the ninety, where the locals, smarting under the Ibrox rout, were out for revenge. This the Rangers did not look upon the game lightly was borne out by their full strength on the field. Rumour had it that Kilmarnock would have the assistance of Goldie at centre-half, who had been discharged from the army, and they also included their latest capture, Murray, of Dalmellington, at left back. Kilmarnock open strongly, and good chances were lost by careless finishing on the part of Gray. Culley and McPhail continued to harass the Ibrox defence, but the former was too well watched to get a try on his own. The first real shot of the game came from McLean and Bowie followed closely after with a header which just glided over the bar. Rangers were perhaps a trifle ahead of Kilmarnock in point of play at this stage, but they could not penetrate the defence of Hamilton, Murray and Blair. Interest was sustained by the counter-attacks of the homesters, which were quite as determined as the attacks of their opponents. The pace seemed to increase, and there was no attempt to indulge in the parlour style of play, the one and only object being goal-getting. Blair and Hempsey had always to be on the alert, and while neither was much troubled, the shots that did reach them were of the dangerous order. Towards the interval Kilmarnock were very persistent, and a pass by Culley was all but converted by McPhail, but Hempsey threw himself on the ball to save his charge. Half-time :- no scoring. Rangers resumed with an attack that on several occasions gave promise of bearing fruit, and Murray was lucky to be in a position to clear when Blair was well beaten. This scene was but the fore runner of quite a number in which Blair proved a valuable asset to his side. Beating off an attack Kilmarnock were lively round Hempsey, and Dickie had a try which was faulty in elevation. Keeping the play confined to Rangers’ territory, a brace of Corners were not improved upon. At length after twenty minutes’ play, Culley got through the defence, and passing to McPhail the latter had an easy passage to register his first and only goal of the game, as Hempsey had vacated his charge to make it more difficult for Culley to shoot. Succeeding play was keenly contested, with perhaps, Rangers being the more dangerous lot, and on two occasions Bowie might have secured the equaliser had he been less eager to score. The end came with Kilmarnock still on top by the odd goal, and while a draw might have represented the run of play, Kilmarnock were value for the points. For Kilmarnock Blair was in good form, but his task was made lighter by the excellent display of Hamilton and Murray. Shortt, Mackie and Goldie were always in the tick of the fray. The latter, however, showed a lack of training. Dickie was the pick of the forwards, and was closely followed by cully, McPhail, and McCallum. For Rangers Hempsey did well in goal. Manderson and Blair rendered a good account of themselves as did Pursell, Dixon and Walls at half-back. McLean for once failed to catch the eye, the best of the forwards being Cairns, Lawson and Bowie.
