A Morton 81
Match Information
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Joe P. Rowe (Glasgow)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Now this was football! A delightful game. Thrills innumerable. Precise, punch full play. Duels that stirred the blood and inspired the rival supporters to song. A game well worth seeing. Seventy-three thousand were at the recent Celtic-Rangers Cup tie at Parkhead. Only thirty-eight thousand saw yesterday’s League game. The thirty-eight thousand won! The Cup tie ‘wasn’t a patch’ on the League tussle. Here we had equality. After the game Billy McCandless told me he considered Rangers deserved just to win. Charlie Shaw said – “if the goal had gone to Celtic instead of Rangers, the result would have been the right one.” There you have it! A draw undoubtedly would have reflected the run of the play! Celtic were handicapped by the absence of Adam McLean. Rangers were handicapped by the absence of Cairns. Not, mind you, because Chalmers was less valuable than the Ibrox captain. He wasn’t. He played splendidly – one of the best men in the team, in fact – but because Alan Morton’s play was seriously affected by the absence of the take-all-the-knocks, give-all-the-knocks Larkhall lad. So, it was an even break. Neither started with an advantage. Corrigan, who took McLean’s place, certainly had had no First Division experience. Chalmers had been through the mill in Queen’s Park. But the average spectator was inclined to the opinion that the team changes would make no difference one way or the other. As it happened, Celtic were the more affected. Corrigan, in the first half particularly, played a very poor game. Chalmers on the contrary, played crafty football. It is true that twice he failed to score when it seemed ten to one on his beating the Celtic keeper, but his tries were good, and his outfield work merits commendation. The goal with which Rangers won was what is known as a lucky one – a gift from the gods! Alan Morton, who had worked in to the angle of the penalty area, let go a strong low drive. Hilley at the same moment as Shevlin shouted “Right!” lifted his foot. The ball just touched it and was deflected ever so slightly from its course. Shevlin, I am convinced, would have stopped its progress. He had thrown himself smartly to the left into the path of the oncoming ball. Only by inches did it pass his outstretched fingers. Had half a dozen shots earlier in the game found their billet in the back of the net no one would have blamed the keeper. There was some splendid shooting. Despite the watchfulness and vigour of the respective defences, the forwards did find good positions, and many were the drives sent towards Robb and Shevlin. Chalmers certainly had one fine drive, which Shevlin saved near his right-hand upright. And Morton, accepting a pass from Craig, fired a strong shot across the Celtic goal. Then Henderson snicked the ball forward to Chalmers, who in glorious shooting position, was tackled by Hilley in the nick of time. But Celtic’s defence were not sleeping. Nor were the attackers. Connelly had one seemingly scoring drive which passed along Robb’s charge and over at the far side. Then Hilley, following a corner, came up and sent a regular screamer towards Robb. The big fellow got up in time and touched the ball over the bar. The ensuing corner was taken by Connolly. There followed a scramble. Gallagher appeared to have the Rangers’ goal at his mercy. He shot. The ball struck Robb’s body – a lucky escape for the Light Blues, it must be admitted. Within two or three minutes Celtic forced six corners. Great was the excitement. But desperately the Ibrox backs licked clear, and the pressure was finally relieved when McGrory was penalised for what the referee apparently considered dangerous play. For a long time in the second half play was less exciting. At length Corrigan forced a corner, placed it nicely, and had the satisfaction of seeing Thomson bring Robb to the ground in a successful effort to stop a well-directed header. Most intriguing at this time were the bouts between W McStay and Alan Morton. Willie went for the ball in that dashing way of his, and Alan was obviously disinclined to take any risks. I don’t blame him! Henderson and Chalmers worked well together. A surprisingly cute move by the centre enabled the inside right to have a pop. He took his chance very brainly, thrusting the ball unexpectedly with his right foot in mid air. Shevlin got his hands to it and deflected it on to the crossbar. This was one of Celtic’s many narrow escapes. Another occurred when Alan Morton clean missed the ball four yards from goal. The Green and White brigade again came into the picture. Gallagher seemed well set when Jamieson intervened. McFarlane shot over, missing only by half a foot. Rangers however, scrambled the ball away when the assault was hot. Finally came Morton’s goal, and the defeat of Celtic – a rather unsatisfactory ending to a clean, clever, even game. Out of the contest with most honour come Shevlin, W McStay, Thomson, Manderson, Craig, Cunningham, Henderson and Chalmers. I consider that in the game Cunningham played football of the highest quality. Young Thomson wasn’t far behind. He has improved immensely since the start of the season. Tom Craig was the best of the Rangers’ halfs, and that means something, for Meiklejohn and Dixon did splendidly. Morton and Archibald, though often dangerous, did not relish the attentions of the opposing defenders. Jamieson at back was less effective than in the Cup tie. Robb was safe. Celtic’s half-backs line can be described as good workmen. Gallagher went about his job with keenness, but with less effect than usual. McGrory seldom got a reasonably good chance, and in any case, Dixon had his measure. Connolly did many clever things, and some that were not clever. Corrigan lacked experience.
