J Smith 60
Match Information
Attendance: 16,000
Referee: M.C. Hutton (Glasgow)
Matchday: Wednesday
Match Trivia
A great family the Smiths! Some of you, of course remember Nick, who played right-back for Rangers. He was the best right-back I ever saw. Then there was Alec, at outside left, to whom I used to give the passes with the sure knowledge that they wouldnt be wasted. Now there is James Smith, just a boy, and with scope to develop. But he gets his goal, and it was a good one by him that put Rangers into the final of the Glasgow Charity Cup. The second half was some twenty minutes old when Archibald passed the ball into the centre. Smith ran to it, raced ahead a bit, changed the ball from right to left foot and shot with tremendous force. Jackson had no chance, so swiftly did travel low into the net. There was nothing much between the reams in the first half. Rangers were the better in the opening twenty minutes, and then the thistle came on. But it was slow-motion football, with not much of a swing to it. The first bit of thrill followed a movement begun by Craig, who sent the ball back to Brown, who passed on to Smith, who pushed it to McPhail. The inside left let drive and the ball beat Jackson but hit the bar and came out. Then a Torbet flight at full speed and a centre to Ness who returned the ball to Torbet, who had cut in. The left-wingers shot struck Gray and went for a corner. There was a narrow escape for the Thistle when McAllister and Rae bungled and let Archibald away. Smith collected the wingers pass, and with the whole goal to aim at, shot hard, but sent the ball flying past Jacksons right-hand post. There was one other near thing before the interval. A ball came over from the Rangers right, and Elliott got his head to it. Morton Jackson, who had to spring to get at the ball. With the change of ends, Craig and Brown changed placed. The Thistle were first on the move. Ballantyne went ahead and transferred to Grove, who was in a good position, but shot high. Next Morton worked into position and was preparing for a shot when Brown intervened in his eagerness, and the chance was lost. Two corners fell to Rangers, and from the second, taken by Archibald, Brown headed against the bar. Rangers were the more forcing team now, and it was no surprise when Smith took his chance to score the goal that won the tie. After this Rangers were on top until the last fifteen minutes, when they quietened down. But they never looked like being over hauled, for the Thistle forwards could not open up the Ibrox defence. The better team won. Rangers defence was very sound. Tom Hamilton was confident and sure. One of his saves from Ballantyne was particularly good. Gray was not excelled among the backs. He never put a foot wrong, and his heading was accurately timed. McAulay turned the ball cleverly and was quick with his intervention. For general craft and positional play Meiklejohn was the best of all the half-backs. He was rather too many for young Rutherford, from Queen of the South, who showed a sound knowledge of the game but was not properly supported. The long passes sent to him by Ballantyne were not of much use when Rutherford was left alone to face Meiklejohn. McDonald played a useful game, and Brown, both at left half and inside right, was always judicious. When he went into the forward line, the play improved, for Craig was more at home at half-backs. The Ibrox attack suffered from too much square passing, and from McPhail lying too far back. Thistles defence was the strong part of the team. Jackson was first class, and Calderwood a sound, steady back. Rae gave very little away. Among the half-backs, McLeod placed the ball well and worked very hard, as did McAllister. I liked Torbet best of the forwards, who, as a line, did not work so well as I have seen them. There was too much wing play, and Grove and Ballantyne were, like McPhail, too far back. There was some bite in the game and the referee handed out a few words here and there. The fact is players have had enough football for a season. Too much of anything is and for the nerves.
