Dr Marshall 30
McAlpine 53
Match Information
Attendance: 45,217
Referee: T Small (Dundee)
Matchday: Monday
Match Trivia
After thats that. After 300 minutes of as strenuous, exciting football as anyone could wish to see, Rangers have beaten Queens Park in the second round of the Scottish Cup. Losers as well as winners deserve to be congratulated. They have given us a Scottish Cup tie to talk about for many a day. And it will be talked about. Queens Park, all airtight with their team, had their chance to beat a crippled Rangers who have risen splendidly above their troubles. If the Cup-holders go on further, they have accomplished enough to prove their mettle. Conditions, yesterday, were easily the best associated with the tie, for although there was a breeze from west to east, it was not strong enough to introduce an element of gamble, and the pitch was almost perfect. Keen speculation as to the composition of the Rangers team was set at rest when Calder, the Scot from Canada, lined up at right back with Meiklejohn again in his place, Craig at left half, Main at outside right, and Fleming on the extreme left. Queens Park were unchanged. Booking the breeze, Queens Park opened with promising liveliness, but the Rangers forwards came on and from Flemings centre, English headed in, but Smith returned. Marshall intercepted and shot hard, but again Smith saved cleanly and well. It was early apparent that Rangers had put a team in the field fit to fight for the Cup. Main and Fleming were full of running, and Marshall was strong in taking the ball through. For about ten minutes the play favoured the Ibrox team, but all of a sudden, the Hampden forwards came bang into action. Dodds raced through, evaded Simpson and shot. The ball travelled fast, but Dawson held it and cleared only to see Gardiner turn it back again with Dodds waiting but the later sent over. This let the Amateurs get their teeth in, and Gillespie went striding through and shot a beauty. It looked a scorer but Simpson, running quickly into defensive position, cleared with a lusty kick. It was a rattling good game now with the pace a cracker. There was a gasp when Marshall took a pretty pass from Main and carried on straight for goal. Just as he was about to shoot, the ball jumped awkwardly, and Gillespie cleared well. There was no doubt now about the superior team work of Rangers. Their forwards went in on Smith with all the appearance of breaking his defence, but he was cool and clever, and held headers and shots by Main and Smith. With 27 minutes gone, Rangers deservedly took the lead. Smith went on with the ball at his feet, and with his left placed it into the centre. Marshall was quick to meet it, and with the side of his right foot placed it low into the net well out of Smiths reach. There were some exciting moments before the interval, and once McKenzie had a glorious chance when Calder and Simpson were occupied watching for the pass being given to Dodds. McKenzie, instead, ran close up, but with only Dawson to beat, he shot across the goal and out. With the breeze behind them Rangers looked fairly secure, but the Amateurs were full of fight, and some dashing attacks had the Ibrox defence on the stretch immediately on turning round. In eight minutes, Queens Park equalised. The forwards went right up to Dawson in a body, and when he went out to punch away from a free kick by Gillespie, he deflected it to McKenzie who, running in, headed it for the net. And it was going there when Simpson, under the bar, headed over to give a corner. From that corner the equaliser resulted. McKenzie placed it well, and Dawson was too crowded to get at the ball. Crawford headed in, and McAlpine next got his head to it to score. Smith, who had fallen back, made a desperate effort to prevent it going into the net, and seemed to get a hand on it as it sailed through. The welkin rang. It was exciting. Queens Park went all out, but they were sometimes rash in parting. Rangers remained the cooler and steadier, and it was no surprise when they recovered the lead ten minutes after having lost it. This goal was the climax to one of the finest bits of play in the game. Meiklejohn dispossessed McAlpine and sent on to Main who, seeing Marshall open, transferred low. Without stopping the ball Marshall gave a quick pass to Fleming, who had anticipated smartly Smith positioned himself, but Fleming chose a space between the custodians right hand and the post, and the ball was shot unerringly through it into the net. The welkin rang again. I was delighted with the way Queens Park faced this reverse. There was no white feather there, but the forwards were lacking in moves. Rangers grew stronger as the Amateurs weakened, and two minutes from the end, when the forwards were worrying the Hampden defence, Smith took a headed pass from Marshall and shot a headed pass from Marshall and shot a bonnie third goal, whereupon the Big Smiling Boy, as they call him, smiled a number nine. It was a placed ball which left Smith helpless. It was all over now. Queens Park fought it out to the end, but it was a hopeless job. Rangers, I should think, feel they have accomplished something. So, they have, Gray, Brown, Archibald and McPhail none of them was there. But the substitutes all rose grandly to the occasion. I liked Dawsons confidence, cool manner, and I feel pretty certain he would not have been beaten even once had he been allowed room to move freely at the time McKenzie took his corner kick. Afterwards the defence saw to it that he got his chance to do his work in his own way. What a complete footballer is McDonald. Whatever he plays, he shows the natural genius for meeting the changing situation. His anticipation is scarcely ever at fault, and with head and feet he takes things as they come and is never ruffled. A fine man to have on your side. It was a big test for Calder, but he never turned a hair. No one placed his part better. A strong lad he kicked an accurate long ball with either foot. Gray, who was looking on, would feel that he was not being let down by his deputy. Anyone could see that the presence of Meiklejohn had its effect on the Queens Park front line, which never could get developing the cohesive game we saw it play last Wednesday. On the ball, the Rangers captain was invaluable, for be brought his colleagues on, and there was always an intention behind his moves. I thought Simpson played one of the beat games I have ever seen him play. He was a great defender, and even after he was badly shaken by an inquiry, he never relaxed. Craig, more suited by the conditions, came along a right good left-half. In front, Rangers had the greater strength and the superior balance. Main and Marshall worked as a wing. There was, in fact more wing play then through the centre, but that was the right thing, for English, twice injured, must have felt anything but a hundred per cent fit before the end. Smith and Fleming got along well together. Fleming showed quick judgment in coming in to take his goal, and all through he was fast on the run and showed good control of the ball. While Queens Park had every credit by their resistance, they never quite got hold of their Wednesdays game, no doubt largely because they were not allowed to. The forwards could not make the headway, but the defence was splendid all through Smith could not have done better, and both Campbell and Cooper held their end up gallantly. Campbells well-judged tackling often stalled off a dangerous situation. All three half-backs worked tremendously hard, but they put the ball too much in the air, and too much given to the wings. A cross-field pass would have opened up better chances of getting through the Rangers defence. Anderson impressed me as a likely forward to turn the game to the advantage of his team. He is a lad who looks likely to come on with experience. Crawford had not a good day, nor had Dodds. McAlpine did many of his conjuring tricks as cleverly as before but wasnt he angry with himself for the for his shooting! McKenzie was consistently clever, and easily Queens Parks most dangerous forward, even if he did miss that glorious chance in the first half
