Ferrier 30
B McPhail pen >45
Match Information
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: Campbell Bilney (Glasgow)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Rangers have lost their first point, and it was a very hard run they had to save their first defeat. It was only a penalty awarded against a very hard-working Motherwell defence that gave Rangers the goal that wiped off the one scored by Ferrier from a free-kick. It was a wonderfully hard game, and no less hard were knocks that were given and taken. Referee Birney had an unenviable task, and in my opinion did it very well. In the first place, a dispute arose about a shot of McMurtrie’s that Hamilton held near the post. There was a clamour that the ball had gone over the line. To ‘mal siccar’ I asked a Motherwell support who was directly in line: he said, ‘No goal’. So that’s that. With regards to the penalty which Rangers scored from, there was even more discussion. The ball certainly brought down by hand, but whether intentionally or not it was difficult to say. I think, however, that the award was quite fair. There were a tremendous number of free-kicks from various causes, and it was quite in accordance with the un of the game that both scorers should come in this way. Rangers were held and forced to play the same stuff as their opponents probably for the first time this season. Their forwards could not move with the freedom that they have done on other occasions. The half-backs found the Motherwell van too quick to let them adopt studied tactics, and really it was only McCandless and Gray, and Hamilton who added to their lustre. The last-named had some sine saves and was not in the very slightest to blame for the goal Ferrier scored. He was unsighted by six of his clubmates, who succeeded in covering the whole of the goal but one little bit at one end. Ferrier, with uncanny aim, found that spot. It was a great send-off for Motherwell, and it rattled the Rangers badly. In the first place their shooting was off, and secondly Fleming failed to knit the front rank. It wasn’t altogether his fault. Craig, the Motherwell pivot, backed up nobly by Thackeray – perhaps the hardest worker on the field – and McNeil saw to their job properly. Cunningham had one great shot. It looked a goal all over. McClory saved it. I don’t know if that broke Andy’s heart, but he certainly was much more subdued after it. But as Cunningham and McPhail came on. He was the spearhead of danger to McClory, and had he put a little more pith into his efforts he might have scored other than from the penalty. None of the other Rangers forwards looked like scoring, and Archibald and Morton were generally well held by little, who filled Frame’s boots very successfully, and Johnman. The whole Motherwell defence was grand. There can be no criticism against any one of them. The front rank, too, did many clever things. Ferrier and Stevenson were perhaps the best wing on the field, and young Keenan was ever in the tick of it. Cameron found Meiklejohn a stumbling-block, but he did not fail – no more than Fleming at the other end. McMurtrie was not always fast enough, but he nearly had a goal in the first few minutes. There was a great deal of the rough stuff, and the referee did well to keep matters in hand as he did. It was not a classic, but interest never lagged one second, and a draw was the best result there could have been. Now let us turn to a few points in the run of the play. Play swung from end to end right at the start, and three free-kicks – the last a scorcher, from Archibald that McClory tipped over the bar for a corner – Helped the Rangers. Then Andy Cunningham sent in a beauty which McClory dealt with splendidly and saved at the expense of a corner. Two corners came to Motherwell, but McNeil shot wide. Then came a spell of end-to-end play again and then a beautiful move by Rangers was spoiled by Morton shooting wide. Rangers applied the screw after this, but it was Motherwell who were really dangerous. Ferrier sent over a beautiful cross, and McMurtrie swung the ball in, and Hamilton at full length saved at the expense of a corner. Now came the goal, Meiklejohn fouled Cameron just outside the penalty line. Rangers lined up six abreast to stop the drive, and so doing, unsighted the keeper. Ferrier selected his spot carefully and planted the ball right in the corner of the net. Rangers went into it hip and thigh, after this and two free kicks near the goal area spelt danger, but McClory was very confident in goal and saved both. Stevenson sent in a rasper from near the touchline and then Rangers almost had the ball home when McPhail wormed his way in, and Morton just failed to connect after McClory had fumbled. The second half opened in great style. Rangers went into the fray with gusto, and once again McPhail was an unlucky man in finding McClory in such brilliant form. The keeper saved from almost point-blank range a great drive from the inside-left. Then came a big sensation. During a Rangers raid one of the Motherwell defenders was adjusted to have handled in the area. Rangers were awarded a penalty, and amid great excitement McPhail planted the ball in the net after McClory had just got the tips of his fingers to it. McPhail sent some splendid passes up the centre, but Fleming was well held. Foul after foul followed – and it wasn’t the referee’s fault – and from one of these Stevenson headed right into the hands of Hamilton. It was now Motherwell’s turn to press and only McCandless saved the situation as Cameron was going through; McPhail had two tries at goal and then Fleming got offside as Muirhead was shooting in. Meiklejohn took another free kick, placed it to McPhail, whose parting shot was blocked. A cross from Craig was headed in by McPhail but McClory was on the spot to deal with it.
