Fleming 14
A Morton 19
A Cunningham
Fleming 90
Match Information
Attendance: 56,000
Referee: T Small (Dundee)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Rangers, with no uncertainly, decided yesterday that the Scottish cup will have to change hands, as it has done so often before. All the Paisley reasoning possible could never explain that their favourites should not have been beaten, but it will be the easiest thing in the world for the Ibrox man to show how definitely, and how emphatically, the Light Blues avenged that semi-final defeat pf almost a year ago. More than that. Hope will spring in the breasts of those loyal supporters of the club that the goal they have been fighting for during the twenty odd years thar have past will at last be reached; that the blue riband of Scottish football will at least have been won, and that football happiness which has eluded them so often will once again be theirs. It was indeed a brilliant victory which the Rangers achieved. Not only was it in the second half when they made success more than doubly sure, but throughout the piece one could see that the Cup-holders were struggling against the odds. There was just one brief period in the first half when the Saints really deserved some reward, and that was after half-an-hour had gone. They were two goals down at the time, and a rally which brought them within an ace of reducing the leeway was denied them by the hardest of luck. A ball which was driven in by Howieson, I think, hit a post. It was returned again, and yet again. At that moment the Rangers’ star was shining. Once they had got over that they never looked back. The Ibrox team played like one man – as near that, at least, as one could look for. There was harmonious understanding throughout, and when, in the second half, with the confidence which their first half lead imbued them, they practically did as they liked. Goals came easily, and they emerged from the fray worthy the plaudits which their followers gave them. The Paisley men took their beating like true sportsmen, and it was a pleasure to see them congratulate their conquerors as they trooped into the pavilion together at the finish. It is easy to be wise after an event, but I will probably be pardoned if I say that the Love street directors made a tactical blunder in the placing of their forwards. With Morgan an absentee – I am told it is doubtful if he will play again this season – they decided to take Thomson from his position on the left-wing and put him on the right, leaving Miller for the other side of the field. The decision which led to that change jeopardised two positions, and as it ultimately proved most decidedly weakened them. Thomson was like a fish out of water, and Miller never did anything to justify the experiment. As I have remarked, however, it is easy to be wise after one sees what has happened. Now to tell how the play ran, and how the goals were got. Paisley won the toss, but that didn’t mean anything. The Paisley right got on the move at the start, and Howieson let go a twenty-yarder which Hamilton was glad to put away for a corner. At the other end, Findlay kicked the ball away for a corner, following which there was some delightful Rangers frontal work, Alan Morton taking a prominent part, but Fleming skied the ball when in good position. A lob in upon the Saints’ goal found Morton well up, but Findlay got there first. St Mirren had a spell of the offensive – but Gray and McCandless broke up promising moves by first time tactics. Morton, cleverly set off by Cunningham, dashed in on Bradford, and the keeper gave away a corner. A minute later Bradford let the ball out of his grasp when challenged by Fleming, and Newbiggin’s timely boot saved what looked a good thing for the on-coming McMillan. Twelve minutes after the start came a goal – real Cup-tie goal. Muirhead passed the ball up the centre, and Fleming, turning round, crashed the ball into the rain-sodden netting behind Bradford. The hero of this achievement, Rangers’ dashing centre, had to go off suffering from a nasty cut on the face, but even without him the Rangers frontal rank weren’t put out. Bu no means. Alan got the ball just on the fringe of the penalty area, circumvented two opponents, and shot as good a goal as had been Fleming’s just seven minutes previous. And after some midfield play Fleming reappeared and signalised the event by giving Bradford another hot armful. Saints gave a bit of the excitement now. McDonald, following a corner, shot hard, and the ball rattled Hamilton’s cross-bar. From the rebound Howieson got it. Great expectations – bang went in the ball again – Hamilton saved. This spell at the Rangers’ goal, during which Gray did heroic work, cane to an end, and Bradford was busy again. Tully Craig rattled the cross-bar, and Cunningham gave Archibald an open goal, but the winger was too slow. Fleming burst away on another of his thrilling excursions. Over came the ball to Morton, all on his lonesome; out came Bradford too. Alan shot in, true went the ball for the net, but Findlay had taken up the place ‘tween the sticks and headed the ball away. A free kick to the Rangers was the last incident in a pulsating first half. Saints opened the second venture quite undismayed, and two corners fell in quick succession to the wearers of the Black and White, but Fleming, always with an eye to the main chance, spelt the first real danger when he hit the outside of a post from a somewhat difficult angle. A Cunningham smasher of the first order found Bradford at home, and then wee Alan obliged with more of his electrics, and his parting effort went for another corner. And then a goal. Rangers had been working for it hard. Archibald caught on when the ball glanced off Newbiggin, and dashing straight into Bradford, tucked the ball safely away to its third resting place – after twenty minutes of the period had gone. Five minutes later, Findlay missed a long swinging pass out to the Morton wing, and Alan, taking advantage of the opening, had plenty of time to select his spot; the winger made no mistake, the ball gliding over the line from the under side of the crossbar. Saints were dying without a kick, and Gebbie gave Hamilton the most difficult shot he had yet to deal with. But the Rangers were not finished with Bradford yet. Cunningham got possession far out, and his shot left the St Mirren keeping standing. At the other end Hamilton went down to another fierce shot of Gebbie’s. The Saints’ defence was riddled now, and Findlay and Bradford gave away scoring chances time and again. Fleming added a sixth goal, rattling home a cross from Archibald. Just after this the referee sounded the final toot. In discussing the players certain allowances must be made for the different circumstances under which men on either side had to meet their opponents. For instances, the St Mirren backs scarcely had a moment’s leisure during the whole game. Their own forwards couldn’t keep the ball away from them long enough to give them a rest, and one must make certain allowances for that. It looks like putting the cart before the horse to deal with the backs first, but I do so in order to calmly point out to the Ibrox supporters that their treatment of Findlay was not sporty. ‘Give a dog a bad name’ is an old adage, but I doubt if Findlay deserves it, and in his play yesterday there was certainly nothing to warrant the barracking he got. They ought to remember that at one period they gave similar treatment to Hamilton, and yet Hamilton landed at Ibrox, and is still there. I’ll say no more about that. Bradford got much more to do than Hamilton, and I cannot hold the st Mirren man blameless. He ought at least to have saved Fleming’s last goal, and the only excuse I can offer for him is that he had got a nasty knock just before that. Hamilton was confident in all he did. I have said something about the back play, but although not harassed like those on the other side, one could not but admire the clean kicking and the intelligent anticipation of Gray and McCandless. Newbiggin did very well. There were no weaklings in the respective half-backs’ lines. Muirhead, Shaw and Craig kept in constant touch with their forwards, who responded to the call. Morrison, Barclay and McDonald were almost as good, but they met with little response. There was no comparison between the two forward divisions. I have already told you why. It took Archibald a long time to find his game, but he came into the picture in the later stages and scored a bonny goal. McMillan stuck into his work all the time; Fleming did as well, if not better than ever I saw him, and the Cunningham – Morton wing was dazzling at times, although I have seen more of Andy in many a game. His partner was in sparkling form. Only Howieson and Gebbie in a poor Saints’ attacking line played up to form
