D Brown
S Archibald
A Cunningham 75
Match Information
Attendance: 35,000
Referee: A McBeth (Kilmarnock)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Your Rangers’ enthusiast who tells you he did not put in a bad half-hour at Ibrox on Saturday is, well – he is very much of a prevaricator. ‘Everything in the garden was lovely’ with him in the first half. The Hearts were playing pretty enough but ineffective football, and his pets had got a couple of goals about the end of the first ‘quarter’ – the one within a couple of minutes of the other – and these were thoroughly deserved. Yet the ‘Light blues’ came very near to losing one pf the points, which they ultimately won by the odd goal of the five scored. Disabuse your mind of the idea that the Hearts were a better or even as good or as pushful a side as the Rangers. As a matter of fact, until the interval, after first Brown and then Archibald had beaten Black, the Tynecastle team did not shape as potential winners – or drawists even. The match seemed well won – I had the feeling that the Rangers would increase their two goal lead. But we were in for a startler. We had hardly taken our eyes off out ‘clocks’ after noting the minute the second half started when Andrew Wilson went on alone to reduce the leeway. The Middlesboro’ centre never stopped until he had the ball in the net. The Ibrox defence seemed flabbergasted and no member of it more so then Hempsey. The ball ought to have been his. This Edinburgh success did not worry unduly the Ibrox faithful, not the players got that matter of it. That came later. Cunningham and Archibald both had pop at Black, before a sensation followed the startler I have already referred to. Bob Mercer shoved the ball ahead to Wilson, Sharp had a touch at it, and the Tynecastle centre chipped in again, to Leave Hempsey helpless. Thus inside the seven or eight minutes immediately following the tea interval the ‘Light blues’ had been robbed of their comfortable lead by nippy opportunism of Andrew Wilson, and the weakness of their own defence. Rangers’ supporters, directors, and players were much concerned now. Things were being said, and little wonder. A point of this match was not good enough, and with the players a bit ‘nervy’ goal-getting became more difficult than ever. Gordon tried everything he could think of to steady a scraggy and unconvincing forward line, but the Ibrox faithful had been a full half-hour in the doldrums before Andrew Cunningham brought them joy. The big lieutenant got his head to a lovely cross from Archibald and Black was beaten to the world. Had the Hearts ben a more pushful lot there is no saying what would have happened. Sharp did many pretty things on the right touch-line, but he did not play on to Blair not get the ball across as George Sinclair would. The other George – Miller, I mean – was clever, if looking as trifle leg-weary. Willie Wilson was tricky and fairly aggressive, but Andrew was the number one Wilson. The Cambuslang-Middlesboro’ centre-forward can get goal, and he can play some. I don’t know whether he or Dixon was responsible, but the fact is that I have never seen Arthur ‘fra Owdham’ to so little advantage. I don’t think any good purpose will be served by the Rangers persevering with Cairns on the touch-line. Tommy’s heart isn’t in the job. Cunningham was just fair, and while Archibald was something like his real self in the second half he has a bit to come yet. Davie Brown took a lot of watching, but Gordon was the best of the bunch. ‘Twas ‘James E’ who initiated the movements which brought the Ibrox goals. Walls was easily the top-hole half-back, and of the opposition trio I liked best Ross and Preston. ‘Jock’ Wilson, even if he kicked out too often for my taste, was the safest back of the four, with Manderson coming next in order of merit. As a goalkeeper I would say that Black was a cut ahead of Hempsey.
