G Henderson 20
S Archibald pen 30
Match Information
Attendance: 60,000
Referee: P Craigmyle (Aberdeen)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Partick lost their grip of the cup at Ibrox yesterday; Rangers entered the final once again. Can they at long last bring the coveted trophy to Ibrox? That of course remains to be seen. Worthy winners were the Light Blues. Not only did they beat the Firhill team, they latterly did as they liked with them. Thistle’s exit was a most inglorious one. One can find something to admire in a team which makes a fight of it even when they are down in goals. Bu the Firhill men accepted defeat as if it were as inevitable that a child should fine some present in its sticking on a Christmas morning. Rangers were the masters after they had scored, and the second goal, taken from a penalty kick, finished all the fight there was in the beaten side. But don’t let me overrun my story. Before Rangers had scored at all, I thought Referee Craigmyle, who handled the game well, made a grave error. McColl was going through when he was fouled by McCandless. The centre kept on his feet and retained control of the ball. A goal seemed as likely as anything, when the gentleman of the whistle called him back and gave a free kick. It was an occasion when that discretionary power which lies with a referee, should have undoubtedly been exercised. Again, when Wilson gave away that silly penalty, the Partick players called attention to the fact that just prior, Cairns had fouled Campbell by charging the goalkeeper after he had fisted the ball away. That he did so there was no doubt whatever, and there the Firhill men had a grievance. That is all I can say in extenuation of Thistle. They were weak in every department – weaker than anyone who wasn’t at the game could, in his wildest flights of imagination, think of. You know what Rangers are when they get a grip of the opposition. Even not at their very best, they were head and shoulders above the others. Cairns and Cunningham led the way to victory, and Archibald and Morton put the crown on their initiative work. Again, the off-despised Henderson paid his way. He got the opening goal, although most credit lies to Cairns for making the opening. The penalty goal was a gift, which was gladly accepted, and put paid to Thistle’s Cup account for the year. And now the run of the play. The first initiated movement came from Rangers’ right from McColl’s kick-off. Archibald got the ball to Cairns, who transferred to Morton. The little fellow tricked Gibson and centred beautifully. Cairns and Cunningham, however, were slow to take advantage. A goal kick cleared Thistle’s lines, and they got away for Blair to force a fruitless corner off McCandless. Thus, early it was seen the ground was bit greasy, and one or two efforts by Rangers at close passing proved worthless. A free kick against Wilson outside the penalty area was blocked by Bulloch, and a short scramble ensured with Meiklejohn kicking wildly over the bar. Play was run on even lines mostly in the outfield, caused no doubt by the strong tackling of the respective half-backs. A delightful McMenemy pass let McColl away, but the centre had his heels, clicked by McCandless. The centre, however, was well through only for the referee’s whistle to blow for a foul. Harris sent in a shot for Robb to save. The award of a free kick to Thistle handicapped them more than anything else. The frequency of the referee’s whistle for free kicks intensified the fact that it was a Cup-tie. On three visits to the Rangers’ goal Thistle were awarded three punts. But all to no effect. The first real thrill was provided by McColl, who burst through on his own. He was sandwiched by Manderson and McCandless and forced out to the right, but he got in a clever shot – one which brought the shout of ‘goal’, but it hit the wrong side of the rigging. Followed the first goal for Rangers, and it could have been prevented. Cairns made one of his bursts and was too late in being tackled. Where he was, he scraped the ball across the goal kick-line and Henderson rushing in beat Campbell. It happened twenty-four minutes from the start. A couple of minutes later Kinloch had a chance to level matters but his shot went wide. Five minutes after the first goal came the second, this time from a penalty needlessly given away by Wilson. Rangers were pressing, and the ball came in the direction of Wilson, who without any need, hit it down with his hands. Archibald from the spot, gave Campbell absolutely no chance. For a minute or two it looked as if the Queen’s Cross brigade would crack up, but their defence steadied up. To add to their troubles, however, Salisbury became lame, and when the ball came in his direction it was plain to see he was of little use. Rangers held the upper hand and knew it. The whole team was playing with a confidence which only two goals in a Cup-tie could provide. There had not been much pep about the play, but there was less now. One incident just on half-time raised the hopes of Thistle, McColl was harassing Meiklejohn, and the half-back passed behind to Robb, who, in running out fell. He missed the ball entirely, and he was the happy man when he looked to see the referee point for a flag kick. Seconds after the interval arrived. To while away the resting period one band played us popular melodies, while the other went round with a collecting sheet. The Rangers’ supporters whistled joyously to one and gave freely to the other. Rangers were on the move right away on resuming, and Gibson was told by Craigmyle not to be so rough on Morton. Thistle, it was easily seen were still the unsettled lot they were in the first portion, and not all the wiles of the enemy could set the forwards agoing. Salisbury was lame, while Blair was too anxious to get rid of the ball. Every time he got it, slapped at ahead, and often spoiled an attempted movement by his fellow forwards. Then Muirhead received an injury and had to take up the outside left position. No sooner had he done this than Morton had to retire for attention. But not for long. Cairns next had a try at goal, but his shot made McMenemy, amidst all his troubles, have a good chuckle. The ball went in the direction of the granary. It was seldom, if ever now that Thistle had a say in matters, and but for Rangers disorganised front line, we might have had a goal or two more. And such would not have done any injustice to Partick Thistle, who played all this half like a beaten team. Never more did they make an attempt to overthrow the opposition. They gave one the impression that they long looked for the final whistle. One of the features of the game, which was the roving tendencies of AL Morton, who was here, there and everywhere. He delighted the crowd with his trickiness, and unexpected appearances. Near the final we had a little something approaching the real Thistle, a sort of dying kick, in which Robb’s charge had two narrow escapes, one from Gibson the other from McColl. Indeed, if McColl had done justice to his chance, he might have reduced the lee-way, but it was not to be and his effort went sailing past the upright. Then Cunningham and Archibald, by pretty carpet work, made Campbell dance about his goal, but Bulloch, with a lively intervention, cleared the lines. The crowd were now leaving the ground, and little wonder. The fare provided at this juncture was as palatable as a boiled flounder. Really, the final whistle, when it did come, was a welcome relief, and the excitement of the afternoon did not arrive until it was time to crush one’s way out of the gate. Thistle had lost the cup, and in a manner that by no means justified their holding on to it. There was no jag about them. Neither goalkeeper had a great deal to do, but Campbell was the more severely tested. He may have had a chance with the first goal, but Henderson was very close in when he got the ball, and I should say the Firhill goalkeeper’s only chance would have been to throw himself at the ball. Robb’s position was sinecure. I cannot say that the backs play was of a high standard. There was miskicking, mistiming and faults among all. After he had settled from a bad beginning McCandless did well, but of the four, I thought he was as good as any. Manderson didn’t make many mistakes, but I have seldom seen Bulloch so undecided. There was little to praise in the half back play. The most effective of the six was Dixon, who forced the play and was always ready to cover up in defence. Meiklejohn and Muirhead were only fair, the latter going lame in the second half, and taking up the outside left position. Young Gibson was the best of the Firhill trio, who were very weak indeed. Wilson did no constructive work, and was probably not put in for that purpose, and I have rarely seen Harris so easily beaten. There was no comparison between the two forward lines. As I have indicated in my introduction, the Ibrox machine worked smoothly, with the outside men getting the ball over beautifully. Archibald played like the real Archibald, and had he done as well previously his international cap would never have been disputed. Alan Morton was wonderfully clever, and even when he went inside to accommodate Muirhead he was always in evidence. Cairns was a champion. He was better than Cunningham, who showed great improvement from the week before. Henderson, if not much in evidence, got a goal, and his distribution left little to be desired. What can I say about the Thistle attack. Only McMenemy and Kinloch did anything in keeping with the reputation of first class players. There was some excuse for Salisbury, who went lame early, but none for Blair, who was hopelessly ineffective. McColl got few chances to go through, and he made nothing of the few he did get. It was a sorry exhibition on the part of the losing team. The truth must be told.
