G Henderson <45, 60
Match Information
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Peter Craigmyle (Aberdeen)
Matchday: Tuesday
Match Trivia
After the draw at Ibrox, certain people shook their heads and pictured a Rangers’ downward slide, and said that their term od supremacy, meantime at least, had come to an end. What the Thistle would do to them at Firhill was no timid prophecy. There were to be smitten hip and thigh. Perhaps, in many cases, the wish was father to the thought. It wasn’t to be. George Henderson saw to that very early on. Paton, the young Queen’s Cross back, made a slip, due entirely to the ground, and before you could say Jack Robinson the ball was past Ramsay like a flash. Once again, the Rangers’ centre forward had justified himself, once again he had set his side on the way to victory. True, they had bad times afterwards, but they seldom flattered. Yet, in the first half particularly, the defence was sorely harassed, and at times they were lucky to get the ball away. McCandless then could make little of little ness, who got many good balls across. Yes, occasionally the Ibrox backs appeared to be a bit flustered. But for all that the Partick forwards could do, especially those in the middle, they had time and opportunity to have a couple of tried to get the ball away. A goal then for the Thistle would have done them a world of good. But they had no power, no physique, to carry them past stalwarts like Manderson, Dixon and Meiklejohn, and Robb’s task was an easy one. Admittedly, Partick played with admirable courage against the loss of that quickly-taken goal. Maybe had they basked to any extent in Dame Fortune’s smiles they might have got one themselves. Frowns, however, were their only rewards for persistence. No, I couldn’t see the Thistle score during that period of pressure, which lacked the virility necessary to give them the equaliser. Then I thought, with the wind behind them after the turn, they might do better. But the first half had been a wearing-down process. They came again early on, and for a moment or two they looked as if they might pierce the Ibrox armour and then go on to win. Rangers played solely on the defensive now. Five of them were around Robb at a time – there was no opening. Then came Rangers’ second goal. A visit to Robb’s end via the Thistle right saw the ball returned to midfield, and here a spooned tackle by Lambie give Archibald possession. Rangers’ right winger took the ball up and when tackled, passed back to the oncoming Henderson, whose shot found the net. The angle was not easy, and Ramsay was close at hand, but George H judged the thing well, and the ball rolled away from the custodian and got in at the far post. McMullan and some of his Thistle colleagues could be seen protesting to the referee against the award of the goal, but Mr Craigmyle’s decision stood. Archibald’s position when he got the ball might have been open to question but for the fact that it was from an opponent that the ball came to him. Rangers were masters now. They practically did as they liked, and so harassed were the Thistle half-backs that they had no time to give their own forwards a chance. Sufficient it is to say, that the one dangerous moment the Rangers had was when Salisbury sent the ball running along the front of the crossbar. It was a commendable try and deserving of a better reward. For the winners Robb was as safe as ever – and that was without having as great deal to do. To begin with, McCandless was easily beaten by Ness, but before the close the Irishman had the measure of the Firhill outside right. Who was asked to do too much. Manderson made few mistakes. All in, Meiklejohn was a good half-back. I liked Dixon best of the three, and Kirkwood, even if he improved on his Tynecastle showing, has still a bit to come. That is to be expected, of course. Henderson, a wonderful goal-getter, improves his leading-out work every day. The left wing was not so dominating as it has been recently, probably due to a more liberal distribution of the play. Cairns was the best forward of the five, but all played well. Partick’s forwards never carried the ball away from their defence long enough. They could get in touch at the other goal but were quickly sent back. Ness did very well, but Chatton and Kinloch kept pushing the ball to him when their policy was to get it to the other side of the field. As a leader, Collins was not a success. While Grove and Salisbury, particularly Grove, were clever at times, it was seldom that their outfield work was rounded off as it should have been. McMullan started well, but was beaten at the finish, and Lambie, while he kept plodding on, was not a great purveyor. The big fellow found the craft of the Ibrox inside men too much for him. Paton did not allow his early misfortune to worry him - he and Crichton did much good work. Ramsay was in no way to blame for the defeat.
