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Match Details

Rangers

1-2

Clydebank (old)

League
Ibrox Park
5 April, 1920

Rangers

Herbert Lock
Bert Manderson
Archibald Ritchie
Davie Meiklejohn
Arthur Dixon
James Bowie
Sandy Archibald
Tommy Muirhead
Geordie Henderson
Tommy Cairns
James 'Doc' Paterson

4

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

Clydebank (old)

Morton
Stevenson
Ferguson
Walker
Marchbank
Neish
McMillan
Fulton
McLavin
Paton
Goldie

Match Information

Goals

Muirhead 30
McMillan

Missed Penalties

S Archibald pen miss

Match Information

Manager: William Wilton
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: J.S. Sinclair (Thornliebank)
Matchday:  Monday

Match Trivia

The game at Ibrox was a good example of a team with plenty of talent paying the full penalty for their deficiencies. Clydebank could not possibly have concealed from themselves the clear and definite superiority of their opponents in the first half, nor the fact that they were fortune’s darlings to be only a goal down at the interval. But on the other hand, while Rangers could flatter themselves upon having easily the best of the play and chances enough to have put the issue well beyond doubt by the interval, they must lay it to their own account that Muirhead’s goal was all they had to show at tea time for all their excellent forward play. The second half was different. Dixon was injured after ten minutes, and after getting attention, returned to play outside right, Muirhead falling back to right half and Meiklejohn going to centre-half. Still, this handicap was not sufficient to throw the scales definitely in Clydebank’s favour, but they came more and more into the game, and two long shots were good enough to beat Lock and win the match. But with all their faults, Rangers did not deserve to be beaten. Clydebank, however, were a team of sticker. Never-say-die was their watchword. The only criticism I have to make about them is that they did not play their opponents as fairly as they were treated themselves. Right away the Ibrox forwards set up a storming attack on Clydebank’s defence, and with Stevenson mulling his kicks, things looked bad for the visitors. Ten to stop Paterson inside the penalty box, Marchbanks handled. Archibald took the kick awarded, and with a terrific dive nearly uprooted Morton’s right-hand post, the ball coming back into the field of play. Playing with a fine click and swing, the Ibrox forwards kept boring in on the Clydebank defence. Following a free kick, Paterson laid the ball at Henderson’s feet, and the centre went completely clear of the backs. He had the goal at his mercy from a few yards range and shot wildly wide. Clydebank’s forwards were a long time in showing their teeth, but they were skilful in leading in when they got moving, and Lock had to fist away and give a corner when McLavin shot a high one. Archibald beat Ferguson and was going on when the back brought him down. Manderson placed the free kick towards goal, and Muirhead, meeting the ball on his head, urged it onwards and into the net. This after 30 minutes. After Rangers had dome some more forcing play without being able to unmask their batteries, the Clydebank attack came better into activity than ever before, and to the interval the game had a more even look. This was also the character of the first ten minutes of the second half, although the Rangers were rather the more aggressive, but then Dixon limped off to return as a right winger. You could see Clydebank gradually forging a new weapon now. Neish set a rare lead in pushing the ball strongly ahead and letting his forwards run for it. It was a wise move, for both Mandersona and Ritchie developed a lot of erratic kicking. But Rangers were still good for a warm attack – that was all. They were making Stevenson and Ferguson busy, when the ball was sent through to McLavin, who was unmarked. The little chap ran fast for some yards, and then, before he could be tackled, let got a high shot that went over Lock’s head and into the net. There was another Ibrox pressure in progress when McMillan took a nice pass from his partner, beat Bowie, and with a lovely long, low shot scored the winning goal, the ball getting in at Lock’s left-hand post at express speed. There was time for Rangers to recover, but though Muirhead shot into the net the point was rightly deleted, for Henderson, who had rushed into the net an instant before, instead of staying there, stepped out in time to be offside. I give the major praise to the Clydebank half-backs, and to Neish especially. His was the head that divined the surest way to foil the Rangers forwards, and then to turning events to his side’s advantage. Ferguson stuck to his guns well, and Marchbanks was always useful. The forwards were never so quick or so clever as the Rangers bunch at their best, but they were plodders all and took their chances – not half. Morton gave nothing away and saved splendidly at times. Lock might have saved the first goal, but I think he was a yard or two out of his goal, and these were fatal. Neither Manderson nor Ritchie was safe under pressure, nor was Bowie so good on the left as he is on the right. Henderson looks the part exactly, but he failed as a marksman. Still, he should be a centre yet. Archibald missed a penalty
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