Stevenson 2
B McPhail <45, >45
Unknown
Match Information
Attendance: 22,000
Referee: A Leishman (Falkirk)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Motherwell’s early brilliance at Ibrox Park yesterday suggested that Rangers were going to be put through the mill, but the Fir Park team could not keep up the pressure, and in the second half they fell away badly, and proved themselves an easy mark for a quick-moving and hard-playing Rangers team. With an early goal scored by Stevenson to buck them up, Motherwell for 25 minutes were supreme. In that time, they might have won the game, for Stevenson, Cameron and McMenemy were all on the target with grand shots. Rangers, who were not too confident ar first on the slippy going, suddenly found their feet, and with the inside-forwards and the half-backs playing a binder of a game it was not long before McPhail put them level with a cleverly-taken goal. But it was not until after the interval that Rangers definitely took the upper hand. A second goal by McPhail just after the interval was the blow that crushed the Lanarkshire lads. From then on, their attack literally ceased to function, for the simple reason that McMenemy and Stevenson were called back to help a harasses defence. During this half Rangers were at their sprightliest. The three half-backs and Craig must be particularly mentioned in this respect. They whipped on their forwards and actually forced them to score goals. The passes from which all the goals but one was scored came direct from one of the trios. In front of these strong men, I liked Brown, whose main fault was a penchant for shooting from improbable distance, McPhail, for his grand first-half and his two vital goals, and Morton, for his success against Hunter, one of the best defenders on the field. It was to these players that most of the credit of those three second-half goals are dur. McPhail’s was the result of forcing work up the middle by Meiklejohn. Browns came from a Morton cross teed up for him by Fleming, and the centre’s was a neatly-taken shot from the right. Motherwell’s reply to this through Cameron was not so much in the nature of a fight-back but a consolation – for the Fir Parkers were a well-whacked team. Motherwell attempted to plat dainty football against the champions, and that perhaps was their undoing, for the Ibrox half-backs were merciless in their tackling and stood on no ceremony in their endeavours to stop the Fir Park forwards. These tactics caused Motherwell to lose heart for their second half adventure. I thought referee Leishman was lenient in his attitude to certain members of the Ibrox eleven, who took full advantage of the rope given them. In the Motherwell team I liked the saving of McClory, who was at his best. Hunter impressed me as the better back. Frame, who received an early knock, was shaky in the second half. Indeed, it was slowness in this department that rendered two of Rangers’ goals possible. It was in the half-back line that Motherwell compared least favourably with the Rangers. Telfer was good in the first half, but in the end McFadyen was as good as any. The other two faded out. The attack was only seen in the first half, but during that period Stevenson, McMenemy and Murdoch were in rare fettle. Ferrier was far from being his best and did not shine in his duels with Gray. Cameron displayed clever touches, but he was not a forceful nor inspiring leader. I have given Rangers’ half-backs praise for their brilliant second-half display. Now I must say a word for Dougie Gray. In the eastly part of the game, particularly, Gray time and again played a hero’s part in checking Motherwell attacks. He was by a long way a better back than Bob Hamilton, who was at times shaky in his tackling. Tom Hamilton did not have nearly so much work to do as McClory, but there is nothing to be said against the Renfrew lad for the part he played. Rangers were undoubtedly the better team and deserved their hard-won success. Rangers kicked off, and exchanges were even at the start, but Motherwell suddenly found their form and in a beautiful move started by Telfer, Stevenson got a great goal after two minutes’ play. Telfer’s pass went out to Ferrier, who immediately centred, where Murdoch headed the ball to Stevenson’s foot and the internationalist put it with a low shot into the net from nearly 20 yards range. It was a fine shot and Hamilton had no chance of saving. Following this Motherwell were for long time the superior team and Stevenson had the worst of luck in not scoring with another great long-range shot that struck the post near the top and rebounded off the keeper into play, where a back cleared. When the Rangers’ attack got moving, they missed several chances by weak shooting, the most glaring of which was when Fleming failed to score when McClory had brought down an Archibald cross right to the centre’s foot. The Light Blues followed this with a clever frontal attack in which all five forwards were implicated. Then after 25 minutes’ play Buchanan sent a ball up the middle to McPhail, who lying unmarked, whipped it into the net. Some very questionable play by Meiklejohn and Gray raised the ire of the crowd, after which Brown was close with a shot that went over the bar. Clever play on the Motherwell right looked like bearing fruit, but Cameron lacked punch in the middle. Rangers’ best shot of the first half came from McPhail who from long range sent a great right-foot drive over the bar. For the last ten minutes of the half Rangers crowded on full sail, and during this period the Motherwell defence was tested and not found wanting. McClory did one glorious thing when he dived and saved the ball from Alan Morton’s foot. Then for a spell came a flash of Motherwell brilliance which ended with a great Stevenson shot which Hamilton saved confidently. The second half had a brisk send off, Brown being prominent with a shot from far out, but Motherwell were first to be dangerous, just before McMenemy worked into an offside position. Rangers put on the pressure and Craig sent a ball up the middle, where McPhail connected, and beating two men put the ball into the roof of the net, thus completing a fine double. Eight minutes of the second half had gone. Fleming was very near to adding to the Rangers’ total a minute later when he turned a low shot for the corner of the net, which landed in a heap of snow just inches outside the post. Motherwell were much less confident after this reverse, and the attack as a combination was rarely seen. Stevenson did his best to pull the forwards together again and as a result of his endeavours Ferrier sent in a long shot from the wing that Hamilton grasped at the near upright. McClory, however, was the keeper who had the more work to do, and the big Armadale man was cheered for his daring and clutching and diving. Alan Morton and Craig shone in Rangers’ attack, and it was from play between these that Rangers got their next goal. Morton’s centre was neatly tapped by Fleming and left on for Brown, who had little to do to put the ball into the net. Two minutes later – thirteen minutes to go – Fleming got a fourth for Rangers after Meiklejohn had run unchallenged up the middle. Motherwell put in a belated recovery and Ferrier, set nicely off by Stevenson, beat Meiklejohn and centred to Cameron, who got up to the ball before Gray and headed into the net. With a couple of minutes to go it looked as if Rangers would get their fifth. Fleming won a protracted duel with Frame and his centre gave Brown his chance, but the old Ashfield man’s shot struck the post.
