J Smith
Johnston
Match Information
Attendance: 22,000
Referee: unknown - to be confirmed
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Handicapped through having Smith injured and limping along the outside left in the Second half, Fleming going into centre, Rangers did well to register their fifth successive draw with Aberdeen at Pittodrie. Even allowing for that the Light Blues were fortunate indeed to save a point. Great credit must be given Rangers defence, and Simpson in particular, but that Aberdeen failed to win was more due to the weakness of their inside forward than to any outstanding merit in the Ibrox defence. When it is mentioned that Aberdeen attacked for about three-fourth of the game it will be imagined how it went. Of thrills there were plenty and the 22,000-crowd waited until the last for the home teams winning goal that never came. The referee Mr W Jamison, of Paisley, was affected ten minutes from the end. He was seized with faintness and had to receive the attention of both trainers. He was, however, able to complete the game. In a struggle that might have been a cup-tie there were many hard knocks agoing, and the trainers were often called upon. All the same, it was a clean game, fought in good spirit, and there was no room for the weakling. For the first half it was an end-to-end struggle. Archibald and Fleming for Rangers and Beattie for Aberdeen forced corners, the clearing of which brought out the merits of both defences. McLean was the first to get in a really good shot, only to find Dawson ready. McPhail might have put Rangers ahead, but he sent over. McLean sent over a ball that simply shrieked to be headed through. Incident followed incident, and Marshall got through and seemed set for a score when McGill and Fraser virtually squeezed him out. In the midst of excitement there was a vigorous appeal for a penalty against Simpson, but the referee was quite right to ignore it. The ball played the man. Aberdeen were in luck when Fleming sent a beauty against the bar. After 37 minutes came Rangers goal, Archibald centred strongly to Fleming and the left winger nodded down to Smith, who aggravated an injury by lifting his foot to score from close in. It was heroic goal, and after scoring it, Smith had to be assisted to the pavilion where he remained until after the interval. Fleming went in the centre, but until half time it was all Aberdeen, and Rangers were lucky when McLean sent a brilliant cross shot against the post. On the run of play, Aberdeen deserved to be level at the interval, but Armstrong and Beattie had both missed easy chances. At the opening of the second half, handicapped Rangers put up some sort of show in attack, but they were gradually forced back on defence. Time and again the home forwards swooped down on Dawson, only to become flustered and do the wrong thing at the wrong time. It was a sustained rally that brought them the equaliser in ten minutes. Johnston began the sortie and after Armstrong had banged the ball against the bar and it had bobbed about for some time, Johnston connected with his head. For the remainder of the game Aberdeen were on top but could not turn their territorial superiority into goals. Time and again Armstrong had chances, but he could never find his feet. Only twice were Rangers really dangerous. This was when Smith tipped over a long ball from Brown, and Fleming shot just past after clever manoeuvring. Those who only see Rangers once a year were frankly disappointed, especially with their attack. The two players who stood out throughout were the respective centre-halfs, Simpson and Falloon. They were the mainstay of two stray defences, repeatedly covering up their backs. Indeed, both played the third back game well nigh to perfection. McDonald and Cooper were the better backs; and on the wings, Aberdeens Fraser and OReilly were every bit the equals of Meiklejohn and Brown. Why Aberdeen starved McLean in the second half puzzled everybody, as in the first period the veteran was their best. Inside Beattie shone at forcing the game, and had some nice individual bursts; but Mills, Johnston and Armstrong were disappointing, especially the last named, who made many blunders. Rangers beat forwards were Marshall and Fleming but the injury to Smith meant a lot to the light blues
