McGrory 15
McGrory 68
Missed Penalties
McGonagle pen miss 42
Match Information
Attendance: 49,000
Referee: H Watson (Glasgow)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Tense, dramatic, thrilling, are word which apply surely to the latest meeting of Scotlands greatest rivals ay Ibrox Park, Glasgow where 49,000 people saw the lesser fancied Celtic pull a point from Campion Rangers. On their showing in the earlier half, Celtic should have won. Yet they came near to losing this pulsating drawn match. Their single goal was poor reward for the pull they had in this portion, and more so on the right flank, where youngsters Buchan and Crum mastered the Ibrox defenders on that side of the field. George Brown never got hold of his men, and Russell was made look very common clay. The ex-Cowdenbeath man simply could not get at the junior Ashfield brought-out forward, whose understanding with Buchan was splendid. Both Celts kept the ball on the floor those two young men has surely the time of their lives. Tet, as I have said, the one thing tangible Celtic took out of this undoubted first half superiority was a good smartly taken by McGrory in the fifteenth minutes from a handful of yards out. From Crum came the ball. I though by falling as it came across from Hughes that he had lost his chance, but getting to his feet, he got it over somehow on the floor and as I have said, McGrory did the rest. Just before the interval came the most thrilling, the dramatic five minutes of this most exciting contest. From the Celtic right came the ball again as it had been coming for the most part, and McGrory headed in. Jerry Dawson was beaten, but Dougie Gray came to the rescue bit with a hand. Rangers protested against the penalty award, but Mr Hugh Wilson had no doubt about it. Neither had I. Then consternation for the Celtic section of the crowd! Willie McGonagle missed. Scotlands left back must have felt like kicking himself after kicking this ball. This was one of the few mistakes he made, and it certainly gave Rangers a life and that point, may be. They swept up the right, Archibald middled, and Kennaway came out. But he didnt get hold of the ball properly, and McPhail running in, was properly, down. And Mr Watson promptly penalised the Parkhead goalkeeper. From the spot Jamie Smith drove for all he was worth, and Kennaway got his hands to the ball but could not hold ot, and it got the inside of the net ar his right hand. Came the interval to put an end to as tense a five minutes football as I have seen for many a day. Truly, Rangers were in lucks way to cross over on level terms, McGonagles wasted penalty-kick apart. Celtic had been easily the superior side; a most improved side; they had moved with a freedom and cohesion which the Ibrox confederacy seldom or never touched. We did not see anything like the same Celtic in the opening portion like the same Celtic in the opening portion of the second half, for the great and good reason that the Rangers were doing better. Thet led with McPhail heading past Kennaway in the fifth minute. The goal big Bob got with one of those sliding headers of his, which carried on and into the net, a free-kick placed nicely by Davie Meiklejohn. For almost the first time the Ibrox half-backs got really in touch with their forwards, which line, however, did not respond or approach the Celtic standard, even if the Parkhead left flank did not shine anything like their right. Charley Napier was too individualistic, and John Connor was still hirpling following a knock which sent him to the touch-line ten minutes before the turn. Yet the old Airdrie man came away with a header which gave Dawson much concern. Jerry got it away all right, but several Celtis claimed that the ball had been over the line. Then came certainly the prettiest, the finest touch of the match. Standing towards the right for the moment McGrory collected a ball coming through, and diddling both Russell and McDonald, Jamie went on to score a picture goal with his deadly left this in the twenty-fourth minute. Jerry was left standing with this short sharp shot which Jamie rounded off his short sharp run. It was all so sweetly done! This was the confection of the game. It actually saved a point for Celtic in a match which should have been well beyond the rangers reach before half-time. One thing the match showed is - theres no need to worry about Celtic. Joe Kennaway, who might have, should have, got off his mark quicker for that successful McPhail header, did not appeal to me so much as Dawson, and more particularly when dealing with low balls. And Jerry too, had a fault his trouble is with the high ones. Several of those punched out should have been knocked over the bar. That way lay safety. Parkheads backs were the better, because of young Hoggs superiority over Russell, who disappointed me much following that promising display at Motherwell. Dougie Gray was his usual safe and solid self. But McGonagle bore away the palm. Willies mistakes were few and far between; and a second half high shot of his caused Dawson to winder where he was. Big Willie must be our right back against Ireland. Between Jamie McStay and Whitey McDonald there was little, if anything, to draw. Both were tip-top centre half-backs, who acted more than the stoppers part. Right and left though the Celts had it, and as a consequence theirs was the better line. Peter Wilson clean and clever, gave youngsters Buchan and Crum lots of support from behind; and those long shots into goal certainly didnt add to the comfort of Dawson, Gray and Russell. While Willie Hughes had been a long time at Parkhead he has never found a regular place in the League team, but as I have said so often, he has been a real useful Celt. And this was surely one of his very best games. While we saw flashes of the old head, Davie Meiklejohn fell far short of the real Davie; and only in the second half could I find George Brown getting there. And by this time Celtic youngsters Buchan and Crum were not getting nearly so much of the ball as before the interval. Which was all wrong from the Celtic viewpoint. Jamie McGrory may have slowed down a bit, but he is still one of the very best centre-forwards. Charley Napier did many clever things, and threw away several scoring opportunities. And after making due allowance for John Connors hurt, I didnt think his best position is on a touch-line. Forward, Rangers were scrappy, for which scrappiness McPhail was, perhaps most to blame. Yes, Scotlands No 1 inside-left did not touch the high spots, although he was responsible for both Rangers goals. Big Bob simply could not get the ball to go in the direction he wanted. Yet then he and his equally big or bigger and powerful colleague Jamie Smith none wrought harder. Both were terribly keen. And the centre-forward could have been doing with more of the ball. Young Stevenson, pluck personified, did not touch his Easter Road and Motherwell showings. Many of the Little fellows passes were shot and lacked direction; as for Alec Archibald he was a mixture. Yet Sandy was wonderfully active at times. Once he leaped a leg in true hop=o-er-my-thumb style; and all, or nearly all, the dangerous wing balls came from him. Willie Nicholson still falls short of what the Rangers and Celtic, too may I say? what for their left touchline. Willie is clever enough for anything, but he lacks that finish required for a mans match such as Saturdays was. More dainty Willies crosses were, for the most part, short. McGonagle missed a 40th minute penalty
