Buchan 15
J Smith 35
B McPhail 75
Match Information
Attendance: 65,000
Referee: J.M. Martin (Ladybank)
Matchday: Monday
Match Trivia
Rangers won this game, but they can thank the Celtic attack for so doing. It was, in many ways, the story of the recent League encounter over again. Celtic made the strong, had a distinct territorial advantage, but could not turn it into goals, the things that matter. Never was there made more apparent than in these two Old Firm clashes the necessity to the Celtic front line for an experienced man. The difference between the two teams lay in the fact that Rangers had McPhail and Smith, whereas Celtic had plenty of immature skill, packed with eagerness, but without completely without, guile, at close quarters. I have vivid recollections of Celtic making real goal-scoring openings, but they simply could not get hols of them. Take the second half for instance, at the mid-period when Celtic were during all the attacking. Buchan got the ball from the left, and he headed down for Dawson to bring off a one-handed save. Buchan, in my opinion, should have I use the word should advisedly breasted the ball, and after that did just exactly what he liked with it. But there was no one near at hand to shout an instruction, and in the excitement of things he failed to take in the situation as he would have had play been in the region pf the half-way line. When the teams trooped on to the field, we all scanned the Celtic ranks for McGrory. He was absent. If McGrory had been there, I swear by the prophets that Celtic would have won. That they did not do so was due entirely to inexperience at the crucial moments in front of the Rangers goal. And yet Dawson played a brilliant game, if one forgets what might have been. Do you know that Jerry copped the lot, a picture of delightful grace in the air as he picked ball after ball out of the air? But why that strange line-up of the Celtic, not a man in a green and white jersey within 16 yards of the Rangers rigging? The best stuff in the game, to my mind, was provided in the first half. It was tooth and nail with every man throwing all he had into the encounters, and there was plenty of fine football on both sides. But to me Rangers were always the more dangerous when it came to close quarters. And the reason was McPhail. What a powerful fellow he really is. Those legs seemed capable of getting through with the ball even though they had been subjected to clows from a steam hammer, and he brought out Kinnears in a way that had people raving about the lad from Fife. The outside left certainly did his stuff, but I thought he made mistakes when he came to sand-dancing, going from right to left and back again over the ball when he found a man, especially Hogg in front of him. But this criticism can be forgotten in the memory of the fine things he accomplished. The first goal of the game came within fifteen minutes. Buchan was the scorer. Crum was on the dot, tackled rather wildly by Cheyne, and the ball touched to the inside-right, Buchan let go, and drove a ball well away from the diving Dawson. In the first minute of the game Buchan had the chance shot saved by Dawson in most remarkable manner. We had, of course, the war songs at one end of the field, but complete silence at the other. However, the Rangers flag-wavers got their chance in the thirty-ninth minute. Venters, a forcing half-back, came up with the ball and almost shoved Main out of the way before parting to Fiddes. The right wing carried on with yards od space before crossing. McPhail rose to the ball with an opponent in attendance and the leather went to Kinnear. The winger placed himself for a first-timer and drove. The ball went skidding across the goal, about seven yards out, and Smith met it. The leather was travelling at a fast pace, and in heading it the centre went to the ground on his knees. Kennaway had followed the flight bit could not turn in time, and the ball entered the goal at his right hand post, just under the bar. The second half opened in a tame sort of manner. There was a screaming lack of the cut and thrust stuff that had helped to make the first half a thriller. It appeared, indeed served up the real goals in the first half were satisfied that value for money had been provided. Gradually Celtic got on top, and there was a period mid-way through the half, when one looked in vain for the Rangers attack. Main, I should explain had been put to outside right and Fiddes to the inside position, but Trainer Arthur Dixon returned on to the track and ordered the original formation to be resumed. But it didnt seem to make any difference. Celtic carried on, on top. But while they had command of things in midfield, they couldnt drive home things. The ball broke for ren often, despite their mistakes, but there never was a man up and ready to take advantage of the opportunity when it arose. And then, out of the Celtic attack, Rangers emerged. A free kick was awarded them, near to the touchline on their left. McPhail had been fouled. George Brown took the kick. As he did so I noticed talking to Smith, and the centre moved to the inside left position in the line-up, with Mcphail taking up the centre-forward position. Brown aimed the ball at Robert, who got his head to it to place well out of Kennaways reach. It was a case of old-fashiondears again at work. Celtic tried all they knew to save things after that, but they couldnt force their way through a Rangers defence that depended mostly on defence, but alert to any chance that offered in attack through reason of a long clearance. The players, Dawson was brilliant, Kennaway shaky in the first half, chiefly because if bad judgment in cross balls. Gray the best of the four backs, Cheyne was slow in thinking and far too often too hesitant. Higg the better of the Celtic pair, and he was up against a really fine Rangers wing. Simpson and Brown have not been too impressive recently, but they showed signs of coming back all right, especially the wing man. Venters was at times a bit weak in defensive position, but he showed great value in moving up in the attack. Geatons was the best of the Celtic three. Lyons was really strong at times in defence, but he seldom placed the ball. Paterson worked away in his usual quiet manner. The forwards who caught my eye most were McPhail, Kinnear and Delaney. The Celtic winger was fill of enterprise, and frequently bonded with cleverness. At times he made Cheyne look easy to beat. McPhail was the strongest, the most forceful of the trio, and Kinnear worked finely with him. The outside left, especially in the first half, shone brightly indeed. A fine contest, and let ne hasten to add, very well indeed.
