McGrory 30
McLean 62
McLean 87
Match Information
Attendance: 101,714
Referee: Peter Craigmyle (Aberdeen)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Nothing else than a complete debacle so far as the Rangers were concerned can describe the semi-final tie of the Scottish Cup competition at Hampden Park yesterday. Thousands upon thousands lined the slopes of the great Queen’s Park arena, and I think I am safe in saying that a majority looked for a Rangers victory. Form pointed to such an ending, and the feeling that this was Rangers’ year became more pronounced after Celtic’s moderate display against St Mirren on Monday last. But what a different Celtic yesterday! Once they got their noses in front, they went on to rout their great rivals, and in the end, they returned such a victory as no one would have dared to predict. Rangers had one bit of hard luck, and that was just after the second half started. Meiklejohn with a great drive, just failed to get the equaliser. The ball hit the cross-bar came down, and Cairns endeavoured to head through only to find Shevlin bringing off a clever save. Later on, Cairns headed a ball against the bar, but after that they seemed to give up all hope of victory, and gradually Celtic tightened their grip. Blunders were frequent in the Rangers defence and goals came easily to the opposing forwards until the last one was registered, and it put the lid on the lot. Manderson pressed by McLean, put the ball back to Robb, but the Celtic outside left shot out his foot, and pushed the ball just inside a post. It completed the worst Rangers’ reverse that has befallen the Ibrox team for years. Many reputations were badly tarnished yesterday. Players who were regarded as certainties for international caps will have to be considered again. Men who fail to rise to the occasion of a semi-final Cup-tie may well be regarded as scarcely temperamentally fitted for the greater occasion of an international match against England. However, some allowance must be made. Whatever the cause, the Light Blues never struck their game except for a brief period at the start, and Celtic did not play so well as to account for it all. But the wearers of the Parkhead green and white were indubitably the superior team at the finish and would have remained so even had there been a smaller margin of goals in their favour. There was a sting about their play which was slacking in the older Rangers’ team, and as the afternoon advanced the forwards began to toy with the opposition. Big gaps were discovered in the Ibrox defence. McGrory kept boring into Manderson and McCandless, never giving them rest, while Thomson and Gallagher just lay behind them ready to snap any chances that might be going. Patsy did not score any of the goals, but he played a fine game, opening out he play to great advantage. The half-backs were tireless and supported the men in front of them well, while behind, except for the few occasions to which I have referred, the defenders never seemed to be in any real difficulty. Rangers’ play was too close and too lop-sided. There was too much left-wing without the game being opened out by means of long passes which would have made ground. The half-backs were very moderate, and the defence collapsed at the crucial moment. George Henderson set the ball in motion against the sun, and Rangers immediately attacked. Hilley and McStay looked anxious for a bit and were relieved when Cairns shot behind from in front of Cunningham, who had chased away to the left and had inadvertently lost control. The behind kick was badly taken, and Celtic’s supporters were glad to see Hilley make ground before he cleared. After Shevlin had saved a long one from Morton, Celtic advanced on the right. McCandless, however, was too much for Connelly. Celtic kept at it, though. Play veered to their left flank and McLean, Thomson and McFarlane did some clever things, not at all to the liking of Manderson and Meiklejohn, but nothing tangible came of it, although Gallagher later tried Robb with a long one, which Willie saved easily. Play was a bit scrappy after this and passes by both sides frequently went astray. Alan Morton got into his sideways stride and finished up along the bye-line by sending in a great ball into the goal mouth, where Henderson waited. But so did Shevlin, and he saved smartly. Archibald, McFarlane and Hilley got a bit fankled with a ball well in on goal, but Hilley emerged from the melee and cleared. Attack and counter-attack followed. In one of these Archibald fouled McFarlane, and the half-back placed the kick on the top of the net. Morton again sent in a perfect cross, but Shevlin effected as perfect a save. In 29 minutes, Celtic scored. When Morton lost the ball to Wilson the movement began which ended in the count. Right ahead went Connolly, to centre a beauty, which McGrory promptly netted. Twice after this Shevlin came out to save from Morton, yet Celtic, five minutes later, almost increased their lead when Dixon almost beat Robb with a miskick at a cross from Connolly. Rangers put in a lot of graft before half-time, but that was all. In the first minute of the second half Shevlin palmed down a swirling cross from Morton and McFarlane put narrowly past for a corner. Henderson headed inches over. Another corner to Rangers was cleared somehow. Still, the Light Blues continued to press. Meiklejohn hit the bar with a shot, and Cairns headed the rebound into the keeper’s hands. When McGrory broke away, he swung the ball out to McLean, who shot. Robb palmed it to the side and followed up to kick into touch. Rangers began to play like a beaten team. When they were attacking their finishing was like anything but champions and - well in 17 minutes’ time Celtic scored another goal. Dixon fiddled about till he lost a corner to Connelly. The winger placed a beauty and McLean headed into goal a ball that bumped on the ground. Where were the defenders? Five minutes later Celtic scored their third goal. McGrory gave a lovely ball out to Connelly. Into the middle it came and McGory netted promptly, while the Rangers’ defence were wondering what had happened. Fourth goal came from Thomson. Robb pushed out a high ball from the left. Thomson met it with his head, and into the back of the net it sailed. The fifth and last goal was a bit comical. Manderson attempted to pass back to Robb with McLean in attendance. Willie stepped out of his goal to meet the ball and partially lost it. Adam stuck out a foot and the ball rolled over the line. I have nothing but praise for Shevlin for the manner in which he dealt with he balls that came his way. His clean clutching showed confidence. He was well supported by Willie McStay and Hilley. The former found Morton troublesome at the start, but the international left winger became less dangerous as play progressed. To no one more than James McStay do I attribute the breakings of the Rangers’ attack. He had a grip of the inside forwards most of the time. He did not attempt by stopping his opponents and getting the ball well forward. McFarlane was more like himself than he has been for a match or two recently and gave Archibald no rope. Wilson was neat in all that he did. Led gallantly by McGrory the forwards fought valiantly for their great victory. Not one of them failed. Gallagher opened out the play as no Rangers inside forward did. Connelly and McLean were good wing men, and Thomson put in a useful if unostentatious afternoon’s work. McGrory played better than ever I have seen him do before. Rangers’ defence was very wobbly. Robb was far from being at his best, and Manderson and McCandless were both indecisive in their clearances. Craig, I thought best of a half-back line which played far below form. Meiklejohn had very hard lined not to score. Dixon was not up to concert pitch. Only could scarcely believe that the Rangers’ forwards could play so badly. They never settled to a game, got bunched together, and misjudged their passes. Only from Morton did danger come, and that was in the first half particularly, and once or twice in the second. Cairns worked hard but to little purpose. Henderson was never in it, and although Cunningham tried to get Archibald going it was not a success.
