Rice 35
Missed Penalties
Bruce pen miss 7
Match Information
Attendance: 27,381
Referee: J.M. Martin (Ladybank)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Anyone who had suggested at half-time that Rangers would clear the Cliftonhill Cup hurdle would have rightly been classed a cheerful idiot. A silence had fallen on their terraced hordes and among the official party all was gloom. Yes, it was as bad as that, but for a very good reason! Simpson had his nose split in five minutes and after twelve minutes absence resumed at outside right, where he played for the rest of the game. The loss of their defensive key affected Rangers team work terribly, as it meant Meiklejohn withdrawn to centre-half and the removal of Fiddes from the attack to right half, a positioning which was maintained to the end. Such a disarrangement was confusing enough, but an even more disconcerting factor was the state of the ground, the frozen surface causing the players to slip all over the place. Had Rangers remained at full strength they probably would have mastered these conditions, but instead they had to improvise their play and Rovers were more than equal for them in the rough and ready phase. It was then Rovers threw away a glorious chance of creating a sensation. But they missed a penalty-kick, should have had another for hands against a harassed Rangers defence, were in turn reckless and unfortunate at goal and the rather bewildered Rangers must have been relieved to realise during their interval confab they had still a fighting chance. Only a goal separated the teams, Rice being the scorer. The penalty-kick, after eight minutes play, was awarded for handling by Gray, but Bruce usually so dependable on such occasions, blazed the ball wide. It was another case of handling by Brown that led to Rovers goal ten minutes from half-time. The offence took place just outside the penalty-line in front of goal. Rangers lined up a wall of defence, but Bruce lofted the ball over their heads where Rice was inviting the pass towards the right, and Dawson was beaten by a neat forehead flick for a clever goal. What a transformation in the second half! The game was really lost and won in Rangers dressing-room during the interval. From the first kick on the resumption, it was as clear as day-light that Rangers had taken the breather to size up the situation, marshal their depleted force and suit their schemes accordingly. Though it took Rangers twenty minutes to equalise, there was never any question of their success. Rovers appeared to realise they were mastered after a good fight and the forlorn hope of a replay was a vision that quickly vanished. Once Rangers found time to bring their tactical resources into play, Rovers were outclassed, and the confidence and quality of Rangers forward play in the closing quarter emphasised that. It was Smith who got all three Rangers goal. The first was a model specimen, Turnbulls immaculately placed cross after clever dribbling and Smiths perfectly timed header sharing in the congratulations of their colleagues. Though Smiths second goal, seven minutes later, was merited on play, it had a heavy suspicion of offside about it, and the referee wavered in his original decision until a linesman confirmed it. Smith and his left wing pair had nobody but Gourlay in front of them when the ball drifted over from the right and Smith had simply to tap it through. Smiths third goal, six minutes from time, was really unnecessary, save as a flourish of Rangers dominance in skill, as it rounded off baffling leading up. There was too many excusable mistakes to single out individuals, but Meiklejohn, as the master tactician operating from centre-half, must be recognised, and he had a splendid young lieutenant in Fiddles as a half-back. Rovers had no stars but may be commended for their all-round pluck and the what-might-have-been run of play. Bruce missed an 8th minute penalty
