Keane 29
A Venters 31
Match Information
Attendance: 31,000
Referee: J Horsburgh (Bonnyrigg)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
I was among those present at the opening of Edinburghs new skating-rink yesterday. Well, a stranger might have been pardoned for imagining such was the occasion ar Easter Road. The field was as full of bone as a herring. In the early minutes, the players skidded, skooshed and slid as if they were playing on a pavement of banana-skins. Yet, such was the skill in them, they gradually mastered the conditions to an extent that made one almost forget such conditions existed. Which rather irritates because it indicated the game it might have been. Two mediocre teams on that ground would have been an eyesore. These two made it exciting and cute. The ball was the fastest thing on the ground. It flew up, down, and around. The player who tried to control it was dafter than the guy who opens a newspaper at top of Waverly Steps on a windy day. Wee Alec Venters was the only one who got away with it now and again, but the Fifer is, of course, a law unto himself. And he made Rangers obey his law yesterday. It was he who steadied up the Light Blues team and brought them along at a confident clip. I dont think there can be any doubt that Venters is the most highly-dangerous inside forward in Scotland today. Rangers were definitely more menacing than Hibs int eh first half, mainly because of Venters. He scored a cute goal too, which was correctly rubbed out on the score of offside. But there was nothing one-sided about the play. Rice was the boy who invariably sent the light-footed Hibs forwards scampering down on Dawson. If this boy does nit play for his country within a couple of years, itll only be because the selectors have their hats over their eyes. Round about the second quarter the pipe began to ooze its gravy. Lyness let go a thunderbolt from eighteen yards that shook the crossbar and made the crowd behind Hibs goal duck like lightning. And, as it flew out again, he dished in, only to head it once more against the wood! Rangers fans groaned. Hibs fans said never a word. They were too busy trying to hoist the pit of their stomach back to its normal position. Then the tables were turned when Rice sent a long lob downfield. Milne looked to be getting it when big Jimmy Simpson threw himself at it to head back to Dawson. Jerry got the fright of his left. He skidded and stumbled to the end of his goal, and just got his pinkie on it to turn it round the post. Hibs were always dangerous with those defence-splitting downfield lobs that made Simpson and Company turn their eyes to the heavens while running backwards. It was a day when a fellow needed both eyes to see where he was going. When his eyes were in the air his feet had a great temptation to follow suit. Just about this time we were introduced to the Easter Road ROAR! If any proof were needed that Hibs have got under the waistcoats of Edinburgh fans, this reverberating bellow of sound supplied it. Down went that ball again towards Dawson, completely upsetting the Ibrox defence. It was flecked back to Kean, who in the most nonchalant fashion smacked a low one into the far corner of the net with Dawson scraping and scrambling to reach it. Twenty-nine minutes had gone. Inside other two, Rangers were level. In circumstances that showed Kerr in two-different lights brilliant and blackout. The big keeper was cheered by friends and foe for a truly miraculous dive to the post and a save from a furious Waddell shot. The subsequent corner-kick came over, well out from the goal. To the amazement of everyone Kerr came galloping out among the players in an effort to get it. He was only halfway to it when Venters met it with his head and sent it into the empty goal, via right-back Logan, who made a desperate attempt to keep it out. The change in Kerr was rather sad. He looked as if hed rather like to give himself up to the policeman standing behind the goal. Which once more proves that the snag about being a hero is the difficulty about remaining one. At half-time, Rangers emerged the more balanced side, but Hibs levelled things up with a spirited display afterwards. They definitely pulled in the points lead Rangers had held up to then. Curiously enough, although the second half was just as exciting as the first, there was little really to comment upon. The ball still raged backwards and forwards, with the possibility of a sudden slip by a defender opening the zip-fastener to goal. We had to wait until seven minutes from the end for the big sensation. Simpson was trying to control the bouncing ball towards the left of the penalty box when it bounced up towards him. The immediate ear-splitting thunder of penalty was enough to reverse the result on the half-time board. Hibs players appealed to the referee that Simpson had played the ball with his hand. The official was worked towards the linesman, who immediately signalled no infringement. As Simpson was away on the opposite side and had his back to the press-box, I cant say one way or the other. At the same time, the shout was so definite and immediate, it made one wonder if all those thousands could be wrong even allowing for club bias. In any case, a penalty-kick would have been a ridiculously severe punishment, as Rangers goal was in little apparent danger at the time. The game ended as everyone wanted to see it end a draw. It was an amazingly good display on a ground that jarred a player to his foundations when he landed on his foundations. Dawson was much the more workmanlike keeper. Kerr was jerky and nervy from the start and might have conceded more goals but for the slickness of Logan, Miller and Prior. These fellows were grand. Indeed -, there wasnt a poor outfield defender on the field. That fellow Shaw is surely one of the best investments Rangers ever made. McIntyre, usually a dazzling winger, was reduced to candle-light. But the real thrill of the game centred round the duels between big Sim ymand Iil Arthur. Surprisingly enough, Simpson kept his balance better than any other player, and gave a superb display. Milne gave him a lot of chasing to do, but the big chap roamed the waterfront with evident enjoyment. McKillop also had a fine game. His strong forcing work keeping the ball in enemy territory for long spells. Ive seen Fraser in brighter moods, but Miller and Rice were magnificent all through. Venters stood out as the best forward afield. I would place Nutel as Hibs most dangerous man. He could have done with even more of the ball. Both sides were weak at inside-right. Farrell put a brake on Hibs attack by holding the ball, while Lyness seemed shy to risk any move that would surrender his balance. The Referee had good control all the time and seemed definite enough about the penalty claim.
