A Morton 8
Somerville 18
Fleming xx, 55
Wood 85
Match Information
Attendance: 8,000
Referee: T Small (Dundee)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Had a ball run as kindly in the scoring zone for Airdrieonians as it did for the Ibrox fellows there might have been a different story to tell. Rangers’ greater experience and craft pulled them through in the end, but they had to fight much harder for the points than the score would suggest. On the slippery frost-bound ground, combined forward play was at a discount, but for individual cleverness no one sparkled quite so brightly as the fair-haired McDonald. This young lad took more risks than many of the others, and his enterprising runs caused the Rangers defenders a lot of anxiety. He did not get the response from his colleagues that his play merited, not was his shooting example followed. I have seen McDougall more effective, but Preston played a strong game, and he kept a firm grip throughout on the McPhail-Morton wing. Morton like Meiklejohn found extreme difficulty in keeping his feet, yet wee Alan, though not often in the limelight for outfield work, had a big share in the winning of the game. He scored the first goal shortly after the start taking an Archibald cross on the drop and driving the ball like lightning past Currie. This goal had an unsettling effect for a time on the home team, but they pulled themselves together, and Sommerville promptly equalised in the eighteenth minute, what time Buchanan and Meiklejohn were making up their minds who should make for the ball. For the next ten minutes play ran on even lines, and then Craig had a pot at goal and Currie punted behind. Archibald’s corner kick was so accurately place that the ball rebounded into the net off the far away post. A few minutes more and Rangers were further ahead. Morton at last got out of Crapnell’s clutches and his pass was banged into the net by Fleming. Airdrie continued to fight a plucky battle and following one of the best combined runs of the game Sommerville shot into Hamilton’s hands. Ten minutes of the second half sufficed for Rangers to make the issue secure. A Morton pass enabled Fleming to burst past several defenders and score with a rising right-foot shot. Following this, some of the Ibrox men were inclined to take things east, but not so the Airdrie forwards, who plugged away until five minutes to go, when Wood tried his luck with a low drive from 40 yards out, and the ball spun off Meiklejohn’s foot out of Hamilton’s reach. Rangers roused themselves in the remaining minutes, and Currie did well to stop two fine drives from Fleming. Just before the whistle sounded Archibald brought the ball cleverly along, and left Fleming to whip it into the net. Thus, the Ibrox centre again preformed the ‘hattrick’. Airdrie have no reason to become despondent. In McDonald and Muir, they have two lively inside forwards, and Sommerville also paid his way. Skinner, however, was not seen much in the game, and Paterson found the occasions too big. Crapnell and McQueen were study defenders and Currie were unfortunate to lose so many goals. Rangers were also splendidly severed by their backs, while Buchanan and Craig were ahead of Meiklejohn, who did not seem comfortable at any time on the hard ground
