B McPhail 47, 65
Fleming 70
Match Information
Attendance: 60,000
Referee: R Morrison (Falkirk)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
For almost an hour, Queen’s and Rangers fought a great battle for supremacy at Hampden. In a goalless first half were crowded deeds of daring and skill. Queen’s countered and checked all Rangers’ best moves, and their attack at time had Rangers guessing. Crawford, Cordiner and Chalmers subjected the defence to a series of blows, but it was painfully evident that they were weak at putting paid to the account. Rangers on the other hand, kept going ahead in level fashion, and when Archibald or McPhail got moving anything might have happened. Chalmers on one occasion had the ball in the net, and the referee allowed it too, but he subsequently chalked the point off, for Chalmers hand it was that put it through. At the interval a goalless draw was not a bad reflex of the play, and it was left to the second half to decide the mastery. Rangers started off this period in their customary breezy fashion. This year they have developed into a rare second half team, and before Queen’s had properly settled down, the beginning of the end came in the shape of a McPhail goal. Peden made a blunder by leaving his goal and giving the Ranger an open goal to shoot into. For a spell Queen’s had a chance of retrieving their position, especially when Cordiner headed past, but gradually Rangers’ superior thrust, which had been apparent thrust, which had been apparent from the start, took its toll, and McPhail’s second counter put the champions in Easy Street. The goals that followed might have been more in number, so dominating were the Rangers. That is the story of the match. Now the way and wherefore. Queen’s without Nicholson lost one of their most valuable assets – a man who knew how to play up to McAlpine – but I do not think they were wise in playing McLelland, who is not a winger. That was the first fault. The second was that they failed to make the best use of Crawford, who was too often crowded out. He would have done better had he lain further ahead. For the defeat Peden must get a share of the blame. He came out of his goal when he should not have done so. It cost the first goal. He gave away another later, and that finally demoralised Queen’s. The defence was sound enough. Walker gave his best yet and is clearly a back in the making. Wiseman did one silly thing to mar a great display, and Gillespie was too keen on defence. He was wanted further forward to help Cordiner up the middle’ King and McDonald were real workers. They tackled fearlessly and made the Ibrox wings know they had been playing. Chalmers was the star in front. He was an artist and a schemer. With ordinary luck his brilliant work would have been capped by at least one goal. Rangers proved themselves conclusively to be a great team. They were never flurried, and even although the absence of Meiklejohn did upset things a bit the team sense was always apparent. Simpson did not do badly, but he was lucky in being up against a centre who could not get going. The wing halfs played a sound game, and McPhail in front had never done better. The goal which signalised his hat-trick was the result if a half-down-the-field run. ‘A goal in a thousand’, I heard someone say. And it was. He was well supported by Archibald and Marshall, who has only to give more of these displays to become a regular. The defence was just a shade rocky. Hamilton, from Newry, was the best, neither Gray and keeper Hamilton being at their best. The play opened with Rangers very much on offensive. Fleming broke away and Archibald sent in a mighty good cross that Walker cleared from Morton. A corner followed, but it was badly placed. Morton sent over a neat cross that went to Fleming’s head, but Peden was in line, and held the ball. Chalmers made a magnificent dash down the wing, and from his centre McAlpine lobbed into goal. Chalmers, who had dashed in after McLelland had shot, put the ball into the net. The referee awarded a goal, and the whole Rangers’ team was after him hot foot. This made the referee consult his linesman, and after that the point was chalked off. Chalmers had put it in with his hand. Thus, spurred on Queen’s gave a lively display, and Crawford and Cordiner had good tries. From a free-kick taken by Wiseman, Cordiner went in on goal and got his head to it, but Hamilton dealt with it in his stride. Another corner fell Rangers’ way, and Muirhead shot over. Queen’s had a let off right enough when Peden fisted out mildly a cross from Archibald. Fleming breasted the ball just inches outside the rigging. Walker, who gained a big cheer for stopping Morton, set Queen’s off again, and Cordiner was just a shade wide with a grounder. Rangers’ defence looked rocky for a shade after this, and Queen’s had several chances from close range in a mix-up in front of Hamilton. Rangers had a good spell after this, and Peden risked a lot in leaving his goal to an Archibald corner-kick. But Queen’s defence was playing up well, and the half-time whistle blew with play in midfield. As in the first half, Rangers started their second period with a burst, and Alan Morton looked dead set for a goal when he right-footed it past the outside of the post. They had not long to wait, however. Peden dashed out of his goal to get away a corner-kick, and his partial clearance put McPhail in possession. Lobbing into a keeperless goal, even the best attempt of Wiseman failed to keep it out. It was a quick thrust, but two minutes having gone, and it put Queen’s of their mettle. Gillespie tried to emulate McPhail by shooting into a vacated goal, but R Hamilton covered up and headed out one that was going all the way. Rangers, however, looked much more likely to add to their total when McPhail hit the bar with Peden beaten to the wide. Queen’s best effort came from McAlpine, who set things humming with a long-range shot at Hamilton. Their greatest chance was lost when Chalmers sent over a cross to Cordiner, who was lying unmarked right in the goalmouth. His head connected, but the angle was wrong, and it went away for a bye. It looked a ‘sitter’. McPhail put the issue beyond doubt when he worked his way in from the right. The ball went for the corner, Peden dived for it, and although getting it in his hands it slipped over the line. Wiseman, in attempting to beat Archibald came back on his goal and gave Fleming a golden opportunity. Beating Gillespie for possession, he slipped it away from the keeper and scored No 3. McPhail was unlucky in not scoring his hat-trick when he again struck woodwork with the defence beaten all ends up. Queen’s were a whacked and demoralised side now, and the post saved them from a still greater defeat, Archibald this time being the unlucky one. When McPhail received possession on the centre line and ran all the way in to score his hat-trick, he received a great shout from the crowd. He deserved it, for it was a glorious solo goal.
