J Smith (3)
Dr Marshall (2)
Nicholson
Unknown
Match Information
Attendance: 5000
Referee:
Matchday: Monday
Match Trivia
North American Tour - Giving the most brilliant exhibition of football witnessed in Victoria, Glasgow Rangers, champions of the Scottish League First Division and holders of the Scottish Cup, defeated an eleven of Victoria All-Stars at the Royal Athletic Park yesterday evening by a score of 8-1. The match was played in a steady drizzle drew a gate of about 2,000. Weather conditions spoiled the game somewhat the pitch being exceptionally treacherous. The Rangers proved to be everything that a good football team should be. Every member of the team was an absolute wizard at ball handling while their combination was uncanny. Time after time their forwards and halves would work the leather the length of the field with their short passing combination for which they are noted, with the players passing the ball without even looking to see if there was a man to receive it. It was a pretty sight to see the blue-shirts sweep up and down the field with every movement seeming effortless. One of the features of the Rangers play was the manner in which the halves backed up and fed the forwards. Their passes were short and snappy, and it was very seldom a long pass was witnessed. The Scottish players proved to be adept at back heeling the ball and on innumerable occasions they completely fooled the Victoria players with this tricky footwork. After scoring their eighth goal about twenty minutes before time the Scottish players did not attempt to secure additional goals. They worked the ball right into the Victoria goal mouth. On a couple of occasions Jimmy Smith, who played a great game at centre-forward for the Rangers had an open goal at his mercy, but he just flicked the ball to one of his teammates not even attempting to shoot. The Rangers displayed better football than any of the representatives Old County teams that have played here. They showed better teamwork and as one of the spectators in the stands was heard: “They made the ball do everything but speak”. In the last twenty minutes the Scottish team gave the fans a real exhibition of football and snappy combination. As if in fun, one Ranger player played around with the ball while two or even three Victoria players attempted to take it from him. Of the eight goals scored by the Rangers Jimmy Smith netted three, Marshall two, McPhail one, Nicholson one and Alan Morton one. Sid Phillips was responsible for scoring Victoria’s lone counter. Although they were beaten 8-1 the Victoria team had the honour of being in the lead as they opened the scoring nine minutes after the start of the match. The Victoria team accomplished something that a number of the best teams in Canada have been unable to do and that is to get the Rangers on the wrong end of the score. Before the start of the match the players of both teams were introduced to His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor, Premier SF Tolmie and Mayor H Anscomb. Following the introductions, the players gave three rousing cheers for visitors. The match was formally started with Premier Tolmie kicking off. The crowd got quite a kick out of this ceremony as when the Premier booted the ball one of his rubbers went flying into the air. Victoria kicked off but soon lost to the Rangers forwards and McPhail got through for the first shot, but it was blocked. Victoria were purely on the defensive with the Rangers trying to work in close. Peden conceded a corner, but Morton kicked behind. Victoria broke away on a fast rush and Sid Phillips at outside right took a pass from John Watt centred the ball and when Watt miskicked rushed in to beat Tom Hamilton with a low shot to the corner of the net. The crowd went wild and gave Phillips a big hand. However, from this stage until the final whistle Victoria were never dangerous again. The locals nearly got away again on a pass from Peden to Mulcahy, but Buchanan cleared well up the field. Marshall tried a first timer, but Farquhar saved to push the ball around the post for a corner. The Rangers failed to take advantage of the post kick. The rangers tied the score McPhail at inside left, netting the ball with a low shot that Farquhar was helpless to save. The visitors’ second goal came as the result of a neat bit of footwork on the part of Smith. Taking a pass from Marshall he back-heeled the ball into the net to catch Farquhar completely unawares. Victoria forced for a few minutes, but the Rangers gained possession again on a foul kick awarded against Robinson for charging. McBay conceded a corner, but the Victoria backs cleared. The rangers third goal came indirectly as the result of a foul against Johnny Peden for hands. Simpson passed to McPhail who in turn flicked the ball to Nicolson and the little outside left lifted the ball gracefully into the net for the prettiest goal of the match. A few minutes before half-time the rangers brought their total to four, Smith beating Farquhar from a few feet out. This goal came following a free kick taken by Hamilton the back passing the ball right to the centre-forward’s toe in the goal mouth. At the start of the second half Alan Morton, the great internationalist, who in the first half was playing at outside right moved over to outside left his regular position. Nicholson at outside left moved to replace Morton. This change saw Morton at his best and he gave the fans a real exhibition of footwork and wing play. The second half was only a few minutes old when Marshall made the score 5-1 with a bullet drive from forty yards out. This player is said to pack one of the hardest shots in Scottish football, and he shoots just as well with either foot. Taking a pass from Nicholson Smith made it 6-1. Marshall let drive another bullet right after a kick-off, but Farquhar deflected the shot the ball hitting the post rebounding back into play. In an effort to gain more effectiveness Phillips and Mulcahy the two outside men on the Victoria team moved into the inside positions and the change made a little difference although the local forwards were helpless against the fine work of the Rangers halves and backs. Morton made it 7-1 with a low shot that struck one of the Victoria players and continued into the net. The final goal of the match came from the boot of Marshall who beat Farquhar with a long shot that packed plenty of sizzle to it. Albert Hewison refereed.
At the end of our tether now – we will soon be setting out on the homeward journey – we engaged in a nice quiet game here before 5000 people. Crossing over leading by four goals to one we added four more goals against none at all for the Victorians. Young Smith performed another ‘hat-trick’, Bob McPhail and Jamie Marshall found two goal each, and Willie Nicholson got a single. Mention of Nicholson reminds me that Alan Morton figured on the right touch-line.
