Dr Marshall 36, 52
Boardman 65
Match Information
Attendance: 23,617
Referee: J Thomson (Burnbank)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Really good cup-tie stuff was served, up at Firhill yesterday, when Rangers confirmed their Scottish Cup final victory over their Thistle rivals. It was no dishonour, however, to the Thistle to be defeated. As in the bigger cup clash, they put up stern resistance and kept the interest sustained right to the finish. On the other hand, Rangers merited their victory, and were for the most part the superior team. Their worst period was in the first half-hour before they got on the lead. During this time, they lacked their usual confidence, and Thistle, with a little better guidance in front of goal, might have set up a winning advantage. After that, and especially in the early part of the second half, Rangers were better, and even a good recovery by Thistle, in which they scored a goal, was insufficient to turn the tide of that Rangers time of success. Towards the end it was touch and go with thistle equalising, and one delightful move by Grove might have easily been snapped up by Broadman, but it was not to be, and Thistle went out of the Charity by the precise score in which they were defeated in the Scottish. Bad marksmanship was noticeable on both sides, and Marshall who scored both of Rangers’ goals, was the most consistent forward when it came to potting goals. Rangers were forced to make team changes after their second goal, and with McPhail in Gray’s place and Archibald in McPhail’s, the Rangers team lost its form, but by that time they were two goals up and in little danger of losing. It was then that Boardman headed home Thistle’s only goal. All over Rangers’ team was better. T Hamilton was sound in goal, and the two backs, of whom Gray was the better, stood up well to the attack. Meiklejohn was the star in the half-back line, neither Brown nor Craig being particularly noticeable when things were going badly with the Rangers. They were the fair-weather Jacks of the team. In front Marshall was as good as any, and his goals were invaluable, but I did not like the way in which he starved Nicholson. The ex-QP man hardly got a pass in the whole game. Towards the end when the ball was slung out to him, he responded brilliantly by running through and skimming the ball against the outside of the cross-bar. Fleming and McPhail were hard triers, but their efforts to score were not so successful. Archibald rarely got the better of Rae, but once when he did his cross brought out a goal. Now we come to the Thistle lot. Much stronger in defence than in attack the Firhill boys played well but with mistaken tactics. They repeatedly played to Boardman in the centre, to the neglect of their wings and this policy suited Meiklejohn down to the ground. Jackson was clever in goal and had little or no chance with either of the goals, but Rae was their best defender. Except in one case when he was guilty of playing to the gallery, Rae held Archibald on a string throughout and greatly enhanced his already considerable reputation. He was well supported by Calderwood and the whole half-back line. As a trio, Grove, Lambie and McLeod were quite as good as the Rangers’ middle trio. In front the main difference between the teams lay. Not one of the forwards played to form, and Ballantyne alone attempted to play football. Torbet was wild in his shooting and Miller lacked punch. Young Tuner showed speed but little ball control, although he sent over some well-conceived crosses. Broadman could never call quits with Meiklejohn, but he took his goal nearly and justified his inclusion. Thistle started off in breezy fashion, but Rangers were dangerous with quick raids, in one of which Fleming, closely watched by Calderwood, smashed a shot against the outside of the goal-netting. Rangers quickly followed this up with more good work and Jackson had to look lively to deflect a grand shot from Craig. Fleming was offside in the next minute when one of his headers was well cleared by Jackson. After this, Thistle had more than a look in, but the forwards were not on the mark and Tom Hamilton had little to do, with the exception of an occasional pass back from Meiklejohn or another defender. Ballantyne, however, improved their position with a long overhead kick which bounced awkwardly and left Hamilton quite pleased to get the ball away for an equalising corner. There was a let-off for Rangers when a nice cross by Turner was well and truly connected by Ballantyne. The inside-left got the ball the right way bit a defender managed to deflect it for a corner, yet another of these awards came Thistle’s way before the danger was cleared. At the other end Marshall had a long shot blocked on its way to the net. Another corner to Rangers followed. Rangers were more aggressive after this and Fleming headed a cross from Archibald right into Jackson’s arms, while another cross from the winger was fumbled by Marshall and Nicholson. Three each in corners was the shout when a shot by Fleming was deflected by Rae. Then came a sensation. Meiklejohn sent the ball into goal, where McPhail, dead on the mark, got his head to the ball, but Jackson cleared in miraculous fashion. Thistle were running through to the other end when the whistle went, and the referee was seen in argument with McPhail. The cause of the trouble is indistinct, but the stopping of play roused the ire of the crowd, who had plenty to say about it. This scene roused the players and some hefty tackling, together with a bad offside decision against Boardman followed. Thirty-five minutes from the start Rangers went on the lead. Brown took a free kick about 30 yards out, and lobbed the ball into the goal area, where Marshall brought it down and helped it along into the net. To me it appeared as if the Thistle goal was not properly covered up. The goal was apparent from the moment Brown took the kick. Thistle tried hard to restore equality, but the Rangers’ defence was sound and gave but little away and until the half-time whistle a lot of Thistle pressure had gone for nought. Thistle restarted by getting on the lead once again in the matter of corners, but for all that Rangers were the more punchful. McPhail tried a long one, but he got a slice on. As a golfing wag had it, he might have done better fitted with steel shafts. Rangers’ superiority was, however, not long in being translated into further goals, and within six minutes of the restart a second point came. Rae, after a great duel with Archibald, had to admit defeat, and the winger’s cross was taken by Marshall and whizzed into the net with the shortest possible delay. It was a grand goal – beautifully taken. Shortly after this Rangers made a sensational team change. Gray went to outside right; McPhail took his place in the full back line and Archibald adopted the role of inside-right. The change was not too successful, for in the nineteenth minute of the second half Thistle wiped off one half of the arrears. A free kick near the touchline thirty yards out led up to the score. Torbet centred and from his cross McPhail gave Boardman a chance to head in, which he promptly did. This put a new life in the game, and Thistle staged a grand revival, but the Rangers’ defence, makeshift as it was with McPhail at right back, stood up to the onslaught well. Weak shooting by Torbet helped rangers to keep the eager Thistle at bay.
