J Smith (3)
Dr Marshall
Match Information
Attendance: 6000
Referee:
Matchday: Thursday
Match Trivia
North American Tour - Fully living up to all advance notices, the Glasgow Rangers demonstrated the science of soccer to a crowd thirty-five hundred spectators at Renfrew Park last night when they registered the biggest win of their Canadian tour by defending Edmonton United by a score of 5-0. Playing the typically Scottish close passing game, the Rangers gave a remarkable display of the art of ball control and perfection in teamwork, and the score was a mere detail 0 it could quite easily have been doubled had the talented tourists gone seriously after the business of getting goals. As it was, they contented themselves with displaying the finer points of the game, and their ability along this line left little to be desired. The Edmonton team did not quite live up to expectations and did not put up anything approaching the game they did against the touring Welshmen last year – probably because they were up against opposition that was a whole lot better. Troubled a little at the start because the ball was coning off the pitch something faster than they are accustomed to, the Rangers took a few minutes to get their bearings, but once they got used to their surroundings, they settled down and served up football at its best. Their positional play could not have been improved for whom the ball was intended got it smoothly and easily, and seldom failed to part with it to the best advantage. Early on the tourists had considerable difficultly in finding the right elevation and right direction in their shooting, but they overcame this before play had been under way very long. Although the weather was warmer than the Rangers are used to, they never showed the least signs of wilting, and were just as ‘nippy’ at the finish as they were at the start. The local team on the other hand, were tiring badly before full time, due to the fact that they had run themselves ragged trying to check up their elusive opponents. Hamilton in goal for the visitors. Got little to do, but looked like a capable custodian on the few occasions he was called upon to save – he had only one real shot to handled, a nice drive by Jock Davidson, that he held with easy nonchalance. Gray and Buchanan weren’t called on to do much serious defensive work, but they did their share in starting movements that carried their teammates in the direction of goalkeeper Wallis. The halfbacks, Brown Simpson and Craig not only were able to anticipate most of the move of the Edmonton forwards and break up most of their attacks before they were well begun, but they fitted in with their own front line like clockwork, and the triangular play on both wings was both neat and effective. Simpson at centre-half was immense, his ability to get his head to the ball being particularly noticeable. Machine-like combination featured the play of the front line. Intricate passing that had the locals more or less bewildered time after time left the Rangers with a clear road to the goal, and if it had not been for the fact that Wallis was at the top of his form, he would have been obliged to pick the ball out of the net oftener than was the case. Nicholson, filling the left wing berth usually occupied by the one and only Alan Morton (who ran the line), probably took the eye of the spectators more than any of the other forwards. ‘Willie’, as his team-mates called him, showed plenty of craft and cunning. He uncovered a nice turn of speed, controlled the ball was excellent judgment, and gave plenty of evidence that he could cross and shoot. Several of the warmest drives Wallis had to deal with came from his talented left foot. On the opposite wing Archibald showed flashed of the form that has made him a favourite at Ibrox Park, and on several occasions he indulged in tricky footwork that drew the admiration of the crowd. Both inside men, Marshall partnering Archibald and McPhail partnering Nicholson, played well, but McPhail was having trouble keeping his shots for goal at the proper elevation. Smith at centre gave a fine display and accounted for three of his team’s goals. Wallis in goal was the outstanding player on the Edmonton team, with Thompson at centre half also prominent until he showed signs of tiring along about the middle of the second half. Wallis di not have a chance with the goals that beat him, but he made a number of saves that were little short of sensational. Thompson had a big assignment in trying to hold Smith, but he did remarkably well. The other members of the team hardly played as well as expected, though every man on the squad tried hard and did not spare himself. On the defensive almost continuously, the half-backs and backs were under a big strain for the entire nicety minutes, and never got a chance to settle. The forward line got an occasional break-away, but couldn’t get to close quarters, and on the few occasions they were offered shooting chances they hurried them too much to make the most of them. Captain Elsie Bennie of the Grads, and the members of her team were introduced to the visitors just before the kick-off, and on Edmonton winning the too, Miss Bennie set the ball in motion a minute or so after the advertised time. Right from the start the Rangers went on the offensive, and Archibald was in close only to shoot wildly over the bar with the goal seemingly at his mercy. They were back again almost immediately when Nicholson made progress on the left, but Savage nipped in to clear and put Thompson in position, Ross got the ball on the run on the right, but Craig overtook him in a sprint. Later Edmonton made headway, first Hall and then Davidson opening up the play, but the Rangers defence saved Hamilton any trouble. McPhail worked into shooting position, and drove hard, but Wallis made a great save at the post. Another pretty passing movement by the visitor looked dangerous, but Geldart saved at the expense of a corner which wasn’t improved on, and next minute offsides against Nicholson brought relief to the homesters. Marshall had a snap chance for a goal shortly after when Nicholson waltzed around Winters and gave his teammate a perfect pass, but McPhail’s blazing shot was wide of the upright. The same player drove over the bar next minute. Edmonton’s best-looking effort so fat came at this stage when Winters combined well with Ross and Davidson in a triangular movement to let the winger away. Ross drove from the line, but the cross was too fine, the ball hitting the side of the net. A foul against Brown gave the homesters another chances to go on the offensive, but Hamilton fielded the weak shot that ended the movement. At the other end Wallis was called on to make a couple of saved, and did it well, but 17 minutes from the start Marshall finally opened the scoring, beating the Edmonton custodian with a shot from a fair distance out, the light ball taking a mean break as it sped into the net. Wallis distinguished himself again a minute or so later when he made a wonderful save off a corner, holding McPhail’s hard drive from close in in workmanlike fashion. After 25 minutes of play Rangers added their second goal, Smith heading through off a perfect cross from Archibald, and the same pair repeated their act fifteen minutes from half-time, Smith getting up high to nod the ball into the net when it seemed as if either Geldart or Wallis would be able to effect a clearance. Three goals in front, the Rangers did not seem very much concerned about scoring in the second half and contented themselves largely with giving an exhibition of how to control the ball and work into shooting positions. Nine minutes after the restart, after a movement were prominent, Nicholson sent the ball to Smith for that player to drive home a fourth goal, Wallis never having a chance. Probably the best goal of the match was the fifth and last, with Archibald the marksman. The play that made the opening was initiated on the left, where Craig let Nicholson away with a fine pass along the ground. Nicholson worked around the half opposed to him, passed to McPhail, and then cut in to again get possession and drive squarely cross the field for Archibald to come up on the run and blast an unsaveable knee high shot into the corner of the rigging. Edmonton’s two best scoring chances of the game came right afterwards, but in each instance Findler hurried his shots too much and the ball drifted harmlessly over the bar. Davidson near the finish had one very commendable try, but Hamilton saved confidently. The ability of the Rangers to keep the ball on the ground and to send it just where they wanted to the waiting feet of a teammate made the game look simple. They gave as fine an exhibition as one would want to see, were clean and gentlemanly in their play, and proved to be sportsmen of the highest type. Referee Bill Thompson was in charge.
Another civic reception awaited us in our arrival here this morning. In the forenoon we were driven round and about in motor cars, then lunch with the heads of the place. Of course, being here, we had to play – this an extra match. And once again I have to record an easy victory – 5-0. At half-time we led by three goals, all of which were collected by young Smith, and after the turn Jamie Marshall and Alec Archibald chipped in with one a-piece. Despite the big score, the game was always interesting, and the play of our boys delighted the crowd. Everybody in the pick, we carry on our journey to Vancouver, starting out tonight. Six hours will be spent in the great national Jasper Park. Just before we enter the Rocky Mountains. We reach the Pacific coast on Saturday morning, and in the afternoon, we will try our ‘soccer’ strength against Vancouver’s best
