Gourlay 10
A Morton 35
Match Information
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: D Calder (Rutherglen)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
In extracting one of the points from the League leaders, Morton got no more than they merited. They never lay down, not even during the early stages of the second half, when the Rangers made their supreme effort to turn the tide. While Morton were more wholehearted than combined, it cannot be said that the Light Blue, except in fleeting periods, touched anything like their usual standard. On both sides the defenders held the whip hand. The absence of Muirhead and Meiklejohn was a big handicap to Rangers. Kirkwood did not fill the left half position with any degree of success. He was inclined to fall into his usual place in the centre of the field, with the result that Wilson was given far too much moving space. Ireland was more attentive to the opposing wingers, but he lacked the driving power of Meiklejohn. It was in this division that the Rangers were weakest. Both Cairns and Cunningham were compelled to fall back to assist in defence far too often, and the forwards play suffered in consequence. The tackling on both sides was very keen and the sticky ground did not conduce to ornate work. McKay and Brown indulged in a lot of dainty play which was not always profitable, and Alan Morton and Archibald had some sparkling runs down the wings at intervals, but shooting seemed to be a lost art. This to some extent was accounted for by the stranglehold exercised by the respective centre halfs. Neither Henderson nor Campbell was given any scope. Ten minutes from the start Morton got on the lead. Following some nice play on the left the ball came over to Gourlay, who smashed in a low ball. The leather cannoned off a Rangers leg and entered the net via Robb’s right hand post. This proved an excellent tonic for the Greenock team. They were quick to realise that progress could be made quickly on the right, and Wilson was plied with the ball. With Kirkwood unsettled, McCandless found the ex-Renfrew Victoria boy a bog handful, but Wilson indecision – he often did not know whether to forge ahead or cross at once – nullified much of his outfield work. With Henderson held in check, the Rangers had to depend almost entirely on their extreme wingers, and Alan Morton had a gruelling time with Gourlay and Buchanan. Once the little winger was brought down heavily just outside the penalty area, but the free kick was poor recompense. Archibald, who like Wilson, was left very open, sailed off on his own frequently and sent over many beautiful balls, but Fotheringham invariably cleared. The equaliser came after 34 minutes. For once in a while Alan Morton was left unmarked, and with only Fotheringham to beat the left winger drove the ball home with an oblique shot from six yards’ range. Resuming amidst a deluge of rain, Rangers for about twenty minutes exercise relentless pressure. Cairns and Morton got into their swing, but though Allan occasionally raised enthusiasm with mazy runs, he could never shake off Gourlay and Buchanan. Cunningham and Archibald, also joined in the siege, but the Fifer did not find the ground to his liking and his finishing throughout the second half was wretched. In the closing five minutes Gourlay burst down the right wing several times, and Wilson lobbed some fine balls into the middle of goal, but only to find Robb, or one of the backs, punting clear. Neither Robb nor Fotheringham made a single mistake. Allan and Manderson shared the honours among the backs. As I have already indicated, Dixon and Hyslop were tireless and had a big lot to do in breaking up the schemes of the forwards. Gourlay and Ireland were a shade ahead of Stewart and Kirkwood. Both attacking parties were scrappy. Wilson, who was splendidly supported by McKay, did may clever things, but he lacked initiative. Several time he ought to have forged ahead on his own and had a drive for goal. The right wing linked better than the left. Brown put in a power of work, but he could have given more of the ball to McPhail. Cairns was unsurpassed as a grafter. Tommy had frequently to fall behind to assist in defence. Cunningham also was often acting in the role of half-back.
