J Smith 5
Mills 44
Match Information
Attendance: 17,000
Referee: W Webb (Glasgow)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Not the most rabid follower among the crowd of close on 17,000 at Pittodrie could have grudged Rangers their victory. They secured the point they needed to win the flag, and one over, and even with three reserves in the side they played like champions. Aberdeen made a fight of it, yet their attacks appeared rash compared with the cool, calculating, purposeful movements of the Light Blues. There was the stamp of class in Rangers opening goal, scored in five minutes by Smith, who went after a McPhail slip to drive the ball neatly into the corner of the net. Aberdeen got an unexpected equaliser half a minute from the interval. Mills sent in a grand shot, which Dawson held and then fell to the ground. Referee Webb adjudged the ball to have crossed the line. Just prior to this Armstrong had hard luck with a great shot, so that there was an element of poetic justice in this goal. Rangers superior class told in the second half. The Dons started bravely enough, but the loss of two goals within six minutes was enough to cause the stoutest hearts to falter. Both points were perfectly taken. Smith gave McPhail a grand pass, for the inside man to strain the meshes at the back of the net with a point-blank pile-driver. Gillick, accepted from McPhail, left Steve Smith equally helpless with a picture drive which skimmed the underside of the crossbar. Then came a penalty for Rangers when Smith was interfered with by Fallon. McPhails shot was brilliantly knocked over by Steve Smith. Aberdeen had chances but did not take them. Mills, Armstrong, Cooper and Fallon were their best. Dawson, Gray, Simpson, Gillick and McPhail shone brightly in a smooth-working Rangers machine. McPhail missed a second half penalty
