G McMillan 7, 10
Dr Marshall 60
Richmond 75
Cunningham 83
Match Information
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: A Leishman (Falkirk)
Matchday: Monday
Match Trivia
A curious thing happened at Firhill. It was the thing that won the match. The role of the storming troops was politely taken out of the hands of the Thistle and assumed by the Rangers. In the first twenty minutes the game was won and lost. During that period of whirlwind oppression by the Ibrox forwards and half-backs the Thistle defence bent and broke; and though a fighting recovery was made by the well-plucked Firhill team, there never seemed the slightest prospect of the result of the Rangers’ early mastery being wiped out. I have seen nothing that could have stood up to the Rangers in those opening twenty minutes. They were so strong, so fast, and so accurate in their transferences that the combination of qualities became devastating. The bright Thistle gallop when the Whistle opened the game was just sufficient to give the Ibrox warhorse the spur. In seven minutes, McMillan began a fine afternoon’s display by heading the first goal from a Morton corner-kick. Three minutes more and the ex-Armadale lad went through himself with the ball at his feet, beating three opponents before he shot low and hard into the net for his second goal – a masterpiece. And just before the first goal, Jackson, I should recall, brought off a brilliant one-handed save from Marshall. Pulling themselves together, the Firhill forwards attempted to hit back, but they could make no dent in the tactical Rangers’ defence, in which each man covered up the other much after the fashion of a couple of seasons ago. It was different at the other end when the Ibrox attack next swept into their stride, bringing the ball along fast and low. The pace maintained by the white-shirted Rangers’ front line was a positive eyeopener. Twice Marshall seemed a sure scorer when he slipped on the soft ground inside the penalty-box, and next Morton ran close up, cut in and shot, for Jackson to save well. Hereabout, Cunningham was an inspiring leader, holding the ball with rare skill and swinging it about to the best advantage. Gallantly the thistle forwards trained themselves to draw off the pressure from their defence, and in this they succeeded to some extent, but their finishing was quite the worst I have seen from them. And so, to the long interval. That the Firhill heart in the right place was manifest from the dashing manner of their restart. Here Gibson, who had all along been standing up to it like a Captain Courageous, began to come through. But his forwards could not keep the wet ball under control. The passing was too much in the air, and Shaw, with head and feet, practically blotted out Hair. With thirteen minutes of this half gone, Calderwood went off hurt. A minute later Rangers scored their third goal. Cunningham slipped a pretty pass through to Marshall. The centre muffed his shot. The ball merely trundled in, harmless to all appearance, but it struck the inside of the post just as Jackson went down for it, and then rolled over the line. Now it was all Rangers, and Calderwood reappeared in time to assist in some strenuous defence. Morton, after a puzzling run, hit the bar. Archibald whacked the ball in from the rebound, and Gibson cleared. And then came the Thistle’s good time. With half-backs working close up, they harassed the rangers’ rear, right and left, and half-an-hour after the turnabout Richmond drove home a spectacular shot – a well-merited success. But the scoring was not ended, for eight minutes later, Marshall, in racing for goal, came down heavily, and had to be assisted off with a sprained ankle. My opinion is that he was not impeded by anyone, but the referee – thought he had been brought down by Gibson. Cunningham took the free-kick just outside the box and crashed the ball into the net. Before the end the Thistle went out bravely for another goal, and only a marvellous running-back save by Hamilton foiled them. Fore and aft the winners were a fine team – the best Rangers I have seen for a long time. It would be unfair to particularise, but I must give McMillan a deserved pat on the back. Apart from his goals, his restless energy, adroit moves, and perfect passes made him a player to rivet attention. Half-back strength was a tremendous factor. But the balance of the team was what counted. There was not a weak link. As for the Thistle, they did their best, and that wasn’t good enough. Too many of the passes by the wing half-backs, and the forwards, went astray; lots were picked up by the alert Ibrox middlemen. Those two early Rangers’ goals were an insuperable handicap.
