Black 20
B McPhail 30
B McPhail
Match Information
Attendance: 2,500
Referee: W.G. Holburn (Glasgow)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Had Lindsay availed himself of all the scoring chances that came his way he could have collected a hatful of goals. Dunky didn’t, and with the least bit of luck the Rangers might have snatched an equaliser in the closing minutes. As the game ran, however, Cowdenbeath merited their victory. They were more direct in their methods, and the ball ran more kindly for them than for their opponents. It was late on before the Ibrox fellows found their feet; the rain-sodden pitch was very difficult, and the cantrips of the ball seemed to upset the champions more than the home lot. Play was scrappy, but Cowdenbeath’s bustling tactics and long swinging passes proved very effective, and Tom Hamilton and his backs had a gruelling afternoon. Tom brought off many fine saves, and in the closing minutes he elicited the admiration of friend and foe alike for his brilliant clearing of a terrific drive from Lindsay. The Ibrox custodian has never done better for his side despite his losing three goals. Right from the start Cowdenbeath surmounted the ground difficulties. They gave more boot to the ball, and Pullar and Martin kept popping it into the middle of the goal with unerring accuracy. Lindsay was a daring and dashing leader, but he lacked repose, and he kept heading or shooting the ball behind when it looked easier to smash it into the net. Eighteen minutes had gone before Black headed home a nicely-placed corner-kick taken by Martin. The Rangers’ defenders were wroth with the referee for not penalising the scorer for using his hands in preventing Tom Hamilton from clearing. As the play had been running the goal was due, and the Ibrox men were fortunate not to be further behind a few minutes later, when Martin hit the crossbar and several of the others failed to pilot the ball into the net. Rangers were by no means idle as an attacking force, but somehow, they could not properly settle down, and Johnston and Russell were sound defenders and gave them the turn about time and again. McPhail, however, in the thirty-first minute collected the ball smartly, and his right-foot drive was too strong for Middleton. The keeper got his hand to the ball, but it was too slippery to hold. Rangers took a grip of the game for a time, and after Middleton had saved from Muirhead, Lockie was prevented with an unexpected opening, but he lifted the ball over. Cowdenbeath showed great zest in the opening stages of the second half, and in eight minutes they got on the lead again. Frame brough the ball along, and Lindsay adroitly back-heeled it to Black, who gave Hamilton no chance. For the next few minutes, Cowdenbeath were irrepressible. They kept converging on the Rangers’ goal, and in a race for a long ball Lindsay beat Tom Hamilton and scored with ease. Following this we saw something of the real Rangers, and McPhail reduced the odds with another right-foot shot. The closing stages were productive of thrilling incidents at both goals. Lindsay and Martin lost splendid chances to put the Fifers further ahead, while the Rangers also came near snatching the equaliser in several determined onslaughts. Cowdenbeath’s deserved victory was received with delight by the local crowd. Johnston, Menzies and Black were particularly prominent in a team that played with abandon and would have won by a bigger margin had Lindsay not squandered so many scoring chances. Rangers were a disappointing company. McPhail and McMillan alone of the forwards passed muster, while Craig was the best of a moderate middle line. The overworked backs set up a sturdy defence and Tom Hamilton did a splendid day’s work.
