Match ended 0-0
Missed Penalties
Meiklejohn pen miss >45
Match Information
Attendance: 74,399
Referee: T Small (Dundee)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Celtic’s traditional Cup luck did not fail them at Hampden Park yesterday. For over three-quarters of the game they had fought s ding-dong battle with Rangers, with never a goal between them. Then came an incident that would have finished ninety-nine out of a hundred of such game. In a do-or-die last effort a defender fisted a shot from Archibald over the bar, at the expense of a penalty. Thomson was out of his goal – well beaten – and the defender did the only thing open to him. Whether the ball would have gone in or not is a matter of opinion, but it certainly was tough luck on Rangers to see a great piece of opportunism wasted in this way. When the referee pointed to the spot, however, it looked as if it was Celtic’s death-knell. That penalty law is supposed to have killed all interest in the spot-kick, but yesterday’s example showed that this is far from being the case. Meiklejohn took the kick, got it too straight, and next thing you saw was Thomson pushing it away for a corner. It seemed hardly credible, and the crowd did not hesitate to give Thomson a great cheer. Round that one incident the main story of the match lies. Archibald’s effort was the culmination of a series of Rangers attacks. Had either his shots or Meiklejohn’s sequel gone home, the Cup would have gone from Parkhead to Ibrox. After their let-off Celts were taking no chances and finished up on the aggressive. But for the penalty I should sat that there was not a great deal in it either way and that a draw was an equitable result. Both sides defences were much superior to attack, and as a result sustained play was at a discount. No doubt the wind will be blames for a lot of the futile kicking that went on, but as the old maters say. “These men are the cream of football talent. They are paid for their skill. They should know how to harness the wind. WE DID”. That is just what these two teams could not do, and as a result play suffered. In the first half when Celtic had the breeze behind them there was little in it, but Rangers were favourites at the interval, if only for their impressive burst towards the end of the half. In the second period, sure enough, they had more than their share of the play, but the forward line proved itself unequal to the task set by the Celts’ defence. Their shooting was off, and this simplified Thomson’s task. Poor shooting, however, was not exclusive to the rangers. Celts too were sinners in this respect, although they made better use of fewer opportunities. The Celic front rank early fell for their usual mistake of ‘Give it to McGrory’, and as the centre was watched by the best policeman in Scotland – in the person of Davie Meiklejohn – there was little chance of their policy being a success. McGrory too was hardly at his best and hesitated to go on, on several occasions when he looked set for a goal. Alec Thomson was the most spectacular forward afield. He alone knew how to play the wind with his long, low passes. But what can one – and one not blessed with a super-physique – do against a whole defence – Precious little, I am afraid. The rest of the Celtic attack was so-so. Rangers’ front rank too, was not a glowing success. Fleming, restored to his position in the centre, did enough to show that he is Rangers’ best man for the post. He took all the knocks that were going and was more on the target than any other Rangers afield. Indeed, he was preciously unlucky not to get home with a shot that hit the underside of the bar. Alan Morton and Marshall were the best of the others. The latter gave a sound display in the inside-right berth. Archibald was rarely in the picture and McPherson faded out after the first half, when his combination with Morton was pleasing. It was in the two half-back lines that the real strength of the teams lay. Not one of the sextette failed. McStay and Meiklejohn in the middle, were her, there and everywhere – as good captains should be – pushing on their men. McStay made no mistakes, and Meiklejohn only one, and unfortunately, his was the vital penalty miss. Craig played one of the best games of the season, and Buchanan, although strangle subdued, put across some good work. Peter Wilson, on the other side, was a shade ahead of Robertson, but on the score of experience only. The young Fifer pleased, as he warmed up to his work. It was a big ordeal for a youth new to Senior football. The best back on the park was Rangers’ International candidate, Gray. Selectors were there in force at Hampden and they must have been impressed with the Aberdeen boy. It was joy to see his quickness of foot, and particularly one deft little touch that dispossessed McGrory as he was going through. He had a sound partner in Bob Hamilton, who has only to do so well to give England something to think about at Belfast next Saturday. McGonnigle, more like Willie McStay in style every game je plays, was a bulwark to Celts yesterday. McCallum played up well, and although Rangers played on his wing as the weak spot, he came out of the fray very creditably, and managed to hold his own. Between the two goalkeepers there was little to choose. Thomson made his mistakes, but he recovered brilliantly from them. Hamilton, particularly in the second half, was sound. Celts booked the benefit of the breeze by winning the toss, and beautiful football on the right wing brought them right into the goal area, where McGrory headed a cross by Thomson over the bat. Rangers retaliated with a couple of corners, and incidentally showed up Celts’ defence in not too bright a light. A first time touch by Kavanagh put McGrory in possession, but he was unable to get it under control, and a great chance was lost. Rangers took up the offensive once again, and playing solidly on to the Celtic’s right defence frequently had the Parkhead lot in trouble. Relief came with a free-kick, and then we saw pretty work by the Celtic front rank. From a free-kick taken near the corner flag, Scarff headed the ball in, and Buchanan got his head to deflect it away just in time. McGrory tried one from long range and then forced a corner by wresting the ball from the keeper’s grasp. Connolly rattled one over the bar with a left-footer. Celtic were supplying the stuff now, and very little would have given them a goal. As it was, the nearest approach to a goal came at the other end, where Fleming dashed one against the outside of the rigging from close range. Marshall was even closer when McCallum, dashing across goal, kicked his header clear. Yet another close shave for Celts! Fleming hooked the ball into an apparently empty goal when McGonnigle stopped it with his body. There followed a melee in front of goal, and out of it Thomson came, clutching the ball tenaciously, thus saving Celts from disaster. Rangers had now turned the ride properly in their favour, and it was by a fraction of an inch that they were not in the lead when 40 minutes had gone. A cross from Archibald found Marshall and Fleming waiting unmarked in front of goal, and the centre, with a rocket-like shot, hit the underside of the bar, and the ball stotted out into play. Then came half-time – a welcome relief for more than one player. With the beginning of the second half the two left-wingers were active, Kavanagh heading one narrowly past, while Morton was baulked of an easy score by a brilliant save by Thomson, who picked the ball from his feet. With the breeze against them, Celts’ defence showed signs of cracking, and for five minutes Rangers penned them to their own quarters. Fleming was a warhorse in Rangers’ attacks, and on one occasion while rushing down on Thomson he took both backs with one blow. The play grew ragged after this and spasmodic raids at both ends never threatened much danger. Alan Morton hit the top of the net with long distance lobs and a chance was lost when Fleming put over an attractive centre – but no one was up to take advantage. Twenty-sic minutes had been played when the famous penalty incident occurred. Fleming and Morton did the leading up work and the winger’s cross went midway between Archibald and Thomson. The keeper got there first but fumbled and Archibald taking advantage smashed the ball in. With Thomson down and out it looked all odds on a goal when a defender popped up and fisted the ball over the bar. ‘Penalty’ roared the crowd, and penalty Tom Small had it. There was a breathless hush as Archibald and Thomson were recuperating from injuries received in their tackle. Then Meiklejohn spotted the ball. The referee went over to give instruction to Thomson re-standing still – and then Meiklejohn shot. The ball instead of going for a corner went almost straight to Thomson, who saved brilliantly. How the crowd cheered the keeper – and he deserved it. This was a piece of bad luck for Rangers, and Celtic realised it, for they crowded on all sail and gave Hamilton a hot few minutes before the whistle went. The keeper rose to the occasion, saving two shots from Scarff in clever fashion. And so, a tough fight drew to a close.
