Meiklejohn 14
Match Information
Attendance: 51,000
Referee: unknown - to be confirmed
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
A crowd that looked to me to be over the 50,000 mark turned out at Ibrox, attracted by the prospect of a thriller. Alas! For these great expectations. The gentlemen who had planked down the cash came away disappointed and disgruntled. They had been treated for a most part to a game that gave very little excuse to open their lungs in full-throated roars. The first half was certainly punctuated with flashes of clever football that denoted the high class of the teams engaged, and with frequent incidents of a thrilling nature, but it was followed by a second portion that was of the times, annoying to watch, because of the insipid nature of the exchanges and the aimless sort of way in which many of the contestants went about their job. The big feature of the meeting, so far as the onlooker was concerned, was the goal that won the game. It was scored by Meiklejohn, who I unhesitatingly and very emphatically declare was the master player on the field, and it was a goal that had about it that type of circumstance which the newspaper billman might be justified in describing as amazing. About twelve minutes after the start, McMenemy, who had been the most prominent Motherwell forward in the previous play, both by reason of his outfield play and shooting, slammed a ball at the Rangers goal from thirty yards. Dawson was beaten to the world, but the ball, unfortunately for Motherwell, struck the upright. It rebounded against the body of the goalkeeper and went for a flag-kick. Two minutes later Meiklejohn, at the other end, got the ball also about thirty yards from goal, but at an angle. His right foot let go and the ball whizzed to McClorys right-hand post. The goalkeeper dived, but was beaten by the speed of the leather, which crashed against the upright, cannoned on to the prostate custodian, and bounced back into the rigging. Meeks shot was the better of the two, for it was so unexpectedly shot, the outcome of quick thinking, and maybe it deserved that bit of luck that was denied McMenemy. That goal, as I have said, was the big feature from the onlookers point of view. The game had a lesson for the Motherwell directorate, and that was that they are not yet justified in dropping Bob Ferrier. Stewart, the ex-Cowdenbeath player whom they secured from Manchester United, was distinctly not a success. Even allowing for the fact that Stevenson was nit in one of his sprightly moods, Stewart was frequently given the chance to cause danger to the opposition, but invariably he broke down. He was slow in thought and action, and seldom, if ever, revealed enterprise or initiative. Dougie Gray had him tied up in a tightly strung parcel. In my opinion, Bob Ferrier must be brought back. Stewart, on this showing, never looked like helping to make the Motherwell left wing the delightful thing it has been for some years past. Owing to injuries, Telfer was unable to play. The Fir Parkers are indeed fortunate to have such a good player in reserve in McKenzie. I like this fellows stuff. He was cool and calculating all through, and always knew what to do, and where to do it. Wales and Blair were as usual. Ogilvie started well but shaded off. McMenemy was the best forward of his side all through, and he was the only one of the five who seemed able to shoot. Ellis, as usual, played the strong mans game, and was supported by a plucky Crapnell, who never faltered in his tackle, and therefore proved that he has recovered from his South African hurt. He was, however, a bit faulty in his kicking. McClory gave the impression of being anxious at times, and there were occasions when he took risks by fisting balls that he should have clutched. Of the rangers, we saw Dawson, Gray and McDonald play with their usual understanding, but the half-back line could have been more impressive. Meiklejohn alone of the three was the complete intermediate man, and such was his quick survey of the situations that arose in the course of play that he was frequently at the cover-up. Brown did not have a good game, neither in attack nor defence, and Simpson was very cumbersome at times. Those long legs if his had to stretch themselves on occasion to make recovery. In the forward line we saw too much of the barging Smith, and not enough of the one who can trick his way through. McPhail opened the play intelligently, and often spreadeagled the opposing defence, but there were lacking those powerful solo runs one associated with this strong player. I wonder if he is thoroughly fit. Macaulay was sometimes not just so happy in his ideas as he might have been. Nicholson was dainty, but not forceful enough, and Main was chiefly prominent by reason of his bouts with Ellis. The outside right gave as good as he got at close quarters, but I did think he was not allowed to get away with some of his clever touches. He could get the ball past his man, but he was frequently held up by obstructionist tactics. Rangers deserved to win if for no other reason than that Motherwell with the greater number of scoring chances, failed to locate the net. The game, however, was not a good advertisement for Scottish football.
