Kinnear 12
Davidson 51
Drake 61
Match Information
Attendance: 35000
Referee:
Matchday: Wednesday
Match Trivia
You can call it a friendly if you like, but it was more like a match with a cup or a championship at stake. And let me say right now that the Arsenal were the best of winners. Until we reached Highbury, we did not know what the Rangers team was to be. The directors and manager held a confab on the field, and I can tell you I got a surprise when the formation was rattled off by Manager Struth. It was a case of making the best of things, and though the team did not hit it off too well, they put up a great fight against a superior side, and the sporting crowd cheered lustily both at the interval and at the finish. The first half was worth going a long way to see, for Rangers forwards, well backed up by Kennedy and Venters, often thrust into the fine Arsenal defence. But even then, the superior team work of the Highbury side was in evidence, and it was mainly due to the brilliance of Dawson and the resolute courage of Gray and Cheyne that Rangers held a goal lead at the interval. The goal was scored after thirteen minutes. Kennedy, who was bringing the ball through strongly, gave a low pass to Fiddes, who dodged Compton and centred low. Swindin went down to the ball, but could only push it out a few yards, and Kinnear rammed it home. It would take a lot of space to tell you of all the thrilling incidents, some at the Arsenal goal, but mostly around Dawson, for whose saving the English crowd were lost in admiration. You could tell that by the cheers they gave him. The pace was terrific, and the football on both sides had a class touch. The Arsenal did not deserve to be a goal down at the interval, yet one felt that Rangers merited some reward for rising so well to the occasion. But in the second half, Arsenal got definitely on top, and at the finish they were accorded by the big Scottish contingent present the credit that was their due. Davidson equalised six minutes after the restart. Dawson saved three times in quick succession from point-blank range before the former St Johnstone forward left him with no chance at all. Ten minutes later, the Arsenal forwards, who had been coming along with delightful, low, quick, accurate passing, forced a corner. Milne placed it perfectly, and Drake headed home. From that point, Rangers had their backs to the wall, but they struggled with admirable determination, and in the closing, minutes almost pulled off a draw. In all the circumstances the losers did very well. None of us could have expected them to do better, even if the ascendancy of the Arsenal in the second half came as a disappointment after the good showing of the Ibrox team up till the interval. Arsenal were a fine team strong and resourceful in defence, with the forwards wonderfully clever in bringing the ball on. Male was a grand back, sometimes beaten by Kinnear in the first half, but master of his jib afterwards. Compton could get the ball away with either foot, and was just too big for Fiddes, who nevertheless never gave in, and had a big share in the closing rally. I thought Crayston the finest half-back on the field. He was always in touch with his forwards and gave his passes along the ground and always to the player best placed to receive them. If Milne and Davidson, the two Scots, could not play well in front of such a half-back, they might give it up. But they did play well. Arsenal are lucky if they have a better outside than Milne. I imagine Cheyne would subscribe to this. Davidson was a mixture, and his shooting his main defect. The amateur Joy never left Smith, and as he is as big and strong as the Rangers centre, the leader of the Ibrox attack got few chances of a shot, especially as neither Macaulay nor Turnbull could get the ball through to him in a favourable position. Bastin and Compton treated us to some charming criss-cross passing on the left wing, and it was marvellous that more did not come out of it. Gray and Kennedy stood up bravely against them in the first half, but afterwards they had to use all their powers of recovery to hold their own
