Muirhead 50
Match Information
Attendance: 84,000
Referee: Willie Bell (Hamilton)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
You may think I am one of those old fogies who can see nothing good in the present generation of platers, but really, I did not see very much of what I would call top-hole football in the big Cup-tie at Ibrox yesterday. I seldom do nowadays. I may be wrong, but honestly, I think the game is neither so clever nor so fast as it was in my time. But you dont want to know what happened 20 years ago, or the great players who footed it with me and against me. Mr Editor wishes me to tell you something of what happened on the Ranger' ground, and how my old club beat our greatest rivals and might I be allowed to chance my arm practically won the Scottish Cup. Before I penned this sentence, the news came that Armadale were out, but in any case, our boys were not going to Volunteer Park the semi-final os played on neutral ground. I came down from Larkhall to see a great big crowd and a great match. The people were there all right 85,000 of them but the play was only very ordinary. But I believe o was expecting too much, and I ought to have know better. When so much is at stake, and the rivalry so keen, certain players do not give their best. It was so yesterday. to me moat of the boys felt scared of the opposition. They were frightened to make use of their ability, and the result was very moderate football. At three oclock just after the gates had been closed Sir John Ure Primrose came into the stripping room to shake hands and have a word or two with the players. Stick n Boys, Sir John said, and tick in they did I would say I never saw a harder fought fight. But there was little of that sort of stuff you reporters call the finer points of the game even Jamie McMenemy did not hold the ball or distribute it as I know he can. In addition, the outside forwards and Archibald and McAtee particularly did not get it across nearly as quickly as they should. The shooting was very poor. In my opinion there were only a couple of right good shots in the first half, and McMenemy and Cairns delivered them. It was a bit of great good luck that saved the Celts when Tommy tried his luck. I was sure the ball was going home, when a post pulled Shaw out of a difficulty. In plain words Charley was whacked. Taken all over, the Rangers had just a wee bit the better of things up till the interval; and after that I would say they were still just a little in front. They got their goal in five minutes a rare, good time to get one, and this they should have followed with one or two more. but before I explain how they did not get them let me tell you how they collected the one that put the Celts pipe not. I heard some folks round about me say that the Parkhead defence was at fault. McNair and Dodds were both caught napping was how one man put it. But if anyone tells you a story of this kind dont believe it. Patersons cleverness led up to it Muirheads shot was unsaveable. If the Fifer had failed to gather the Doctors centre a comrade must have got it, but had Muirhead not whisked the ball into the net I should have had something not very complimentary to say about him. Now for why the Rangers did not get more goals how they might have lost their lead. As a matter of fact, once the ball was placed behind Lock, but Cringan was penalised for bring Cairns down. One Celt assured me thar Tommy over-stretched himself that Cringan did nothing he should have been penalised for. But I was too far away to see what actually happened. For a minute or two after Muirhead success we were all over them, but the forwards eased up instead of going on to get more blood. Cairns and Muirhead lay back, and when the ball came up Cunningham was often there alone, and what could one man do! Of course, the Celts profited by these silly tactics, and with McAtee playing a right good game now, we were in danger, to say the least of it. Lucky was it for the Light Blues that Gordon was at the very top of his form. I fancy Jamie beat as a right half, but really, I have seldom seen a better back than he was after the interval. He had a first-class partner in Manderson, and Lock, although lucky one or twice, has never done better for the club. There are few safer goalkeepers than Harry. Arthur Dixon was a rattling good breaker-up, bowie was the prettiest of the three Ibrox halfs, and Walls the most useful. The Fister was one of the great men in the tie. In front, Cairns until he fell back among the middlemen, pleased me most, and Paterson, although his centres did not come across so smartly as I have seen them, I would place next. What a sweet player the Doctor is. Cunningham was a hard-working centre, but the right-wing pair were only so-so. I think the Celts made a mistake in playing Gallagher in the centre, and I also think that Patay wasnt fit. He went to his own position five minutes after the goal was scored. McAtee in the second half, and McLean all the time, were their best forwards, and Cringan was their star half-back the best of the whole six, I thought. Behind Willie, Charley Shaw, McNair and Dodds put up a sound defence. Old Alec I would almost bracket with Gordon, and the man who says Dodds is done doesnt know what he is talking about. Joe is still one of our very best back. I cannot close without saying a word for the referee. Willie Bell may have been too severe in the opinion of some, but the game had to be ruled with a firm hand, and he succeeded admirably. He was not perfect, but his mistakes were few.
