A Cunningham
Match Information
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: H Humphreys (Greenock)
Matchday: Wednesday
Match Trivia
A Partick goal when they deserved one, early after the cross-over, would I fancy, have brightened up things at Ibrox. Cunningham ‘headed’ the Rangers’ winner seven minutes after the start; for most of the time we were treated to somewhat listless football. That gruelling but glorious wind up at Parkhead the previous day was apparent in the movements of the Light Blues; they were fitful up against a defence that gave little away. Partick, too, were feeling the effects of holiday football. Still, I could nit get rid of the feeling that once that goal ahead the Rangers played within themselves. I have the notion that Thomson would have saved Cunningham ‘header’ had he not been blinded – or maybe the ball was deflected. Gibson had stepped behind what time Archibald was taking the corner – when the ball was coming over, he stepped forward, and the goalkeeper made his effort too late to get hold of Cunningham’s counter. To me it seemed a soft goal. But this was the only semblance of a mistake, if mistake it was, made by the Firhill rear, where O’Hare did splendidly. His kicking was neat and well timed, he covered up his partner when the occasion arose. Yes, young Denis Was the best back afield. Partick’s opening bursts promised well. Hair chipped in and battered the ball against the net, and with Manderson slow in clearing, the Rangers’ faithful must have began to think things. But a few minutes later they breathed freely – everything in the Ibrox garden was lovely. From the first real run the League leaders had the all-important goal. Henderson flashed past Lambie, his shot cannoned past off Crichton, and from the ‘corner’ came the points. For a little it looked as if the League leaders might force a repeat of the Firhill debacle. One of Morton’s deadly lobs had Thomson in a twist, but the bar came to the rescue, and Cairns followed by smashing the ball yards high. But Partick, if a bit jerky, were lively enough. Meiklejohn followed the safety-first injunction by kicking over his own goal line with Hair on his top, and Gibson banged a ‘free’ just outside the box like greased lightning. McCandless met it on the way, and Robb had to throw himself almost against a post to scrape clear. Again, the Thistle had a chance to equalise, but Hair, in his anxiety to manoeuvre an opening, failed to notice the better placed Grove, and the little centre, who was off his balance, kicked softly behind. But don’t run away with the idea that it was all Partick hereabouts. Those Rangers forwards were, may be, none too happy as a combine, but they kept plugging away, mostly in midfield. Just before the interval Morton gave us the best bit of individual work of the half – Adam dodging past several opponents and finished with an oblique drive which flew past Thomson’s left hand post. Turned round the thistle boys went pell-mell for Robb; and Gibson, after eluding a couple of Rangers was shouldered off before he got in his shot. Morton came with another burst, only to find Henderson a fraction late to catch up his cross; next minute George fired in a straight one at Thomson. Then came Partick’s best work – they merited the equaliser hereabouts. Ness and Salisbury carried the ball nicely up their respective wings, but by packing their goal the Rangers kept Hair and Co from getting in. Still had Ballantyne allowed a ‘Sally’ cross to go to Ness instead of trying to ‘head’ in from an impossible position, there might have been joy in the Firhill camp. Cairns eased the pressure, and Meiklejohn followed with a drive which was blocked ere it reached Thomson. At the other end, a couple of ‘corners’ were given away, and Ness tingled Robb’s fingers. Then Morton put his own goal in further danger by doing something he ’didn’t oughter’ just outside the box. Gibson ‘let fly’ and Manderson almost turned the ball past Robb. Yet another thrill! Henderson got his head to a free-kick taken by McCandless, and only a five and brilliant one-hand save by Thomson kept the ball from curling in at the base of his right-hand post. Notwithstanding their sparkle in the closing minutes, the Rangers trooped off the field looking as if they had had enough of it, and doubtless thankful that they scraped through. While Tuesday’s rest must have benefited the Partick fellows, they were none too sprightly either. Forward in the Firhill centre, if Hair lacked weight and craft, he was lively and kept Manderson and McCandless on the rack, but he could not finish the work of the others. Ness often scampered away on his own, but Ballantyne did not follow up as he should. Grove too, could have paid more attention to his partner; Salisbury did not get half enough of the ball in the closing stages. The chief fault lay in the inside men sticking too closely to the ball. In a well-balanced middle line, none did better than Lambie, who kept Henderson in complete check. McDonald lacked experience, and Gibson spoiled an otherwise fine shoe by careless placing. O’Hare and Crichton made up a sound bodyguard; both were more virile than the opposition backs. Nicholson forced the Ibrox forwards along for all he was worth, and Dixon too, was full of ‘pep’. But some of the others tired obviously. Forward, Cunningham and Morton were best, yet neither was at his very best
