Venters 2
McPhail 12
Smith xx, xx, xx
Nesbitt 83
Match Information
Attendance: 9,400
Referee: unknown - to be confirmed
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Alec Venters squared his shoulders and brought Rangers back on them. Yet, I wouldnt tell the soccer Professor that he neednt call along at Ibrox any more. Venters apart, Rangers were never distinguished by brilliant football, against an Alloa team that was almost too bad to be true. Rangers had six goals, but I dont think Ill remember any one of them after tomorrow at mid-day. Venters is as necessary to this Rangers team as a goalkeeper is to any team. His twists and turns and taps and speeding passes saved the whole thing from being a flop. The crowd were settling, and it was a pleasant picture for the home club, with some 9000 tucked in, when inside a minute, Venters gave Rangers that priceless soccer commodity the first goal in a cup-tie. He spooned the ball in from near the edge of the penalty box, and Gilhespy mistimed his rush out. Alloa made their only bid about this time, but though they galloped towards Jenkins, they never looked like getting the goals that would add a page to the history books. It was he old story of lashing of enthusiasm without the soothing touch of craft. The second goal was personal tragedy for Soutar, the Alloa left back, who was the greatest thing in a home jersey. Soutar had been defending like a warrior. Then in 12 minutes, Thornton started something, and Soutar looked all set to draw the cheers with another swashbuckling clearance. But the packed terracing drew a long breath when his attempted clearance with the head went menacingly across the mouth of the goal. Bob McPhail was on the spot and so it was No 2 from the McPhail head. We all felt sorry for Soutar. His play otherwise warranted a dozen pay envelopes. He must have ticked the Rangers chiefs. After that, it just wasnt interesting. The old-time Rangers might have eased up and scored a dozen. Smith took a couple to make it 4-0 at half-time, and the strapping James got his third in the second half. Reid finished it with a sixth, after which Nesbit got one for Alloa. Ill concede that Alloa were unlucky to have Nesbitt almost a cripple for most of the game. He got a sickening knock in a joust with Jenkins, and his face was a mask of pain as they took him below us into the stand on a stretcher. I tilt the old chapeau to McKinlay, the home right half-back, who has roamed the football grounds, but who had the energy of a 16-year-old. Wee Carson, on the right, threatened to do something, but never carried out the threat. Rangers had a limp on the left wing, where Reid did nothing to confirm the reports that used to come to us when he was a Glenafton Junior. McPhails thrust and weight were worth a lot, and Smith had quite a day. McKillop has bounced along since last he was before me. He was cunningly creative at times. But Venters was the boy. Lying back as Alec James used to do, and flinging passes around with great generosity, he was successful in what the Hearts apparently cant get Tommy Walker to do. When they came off at the end, and the Rangers supporters flung themselves about the field, there was Venters, the man of the match, evading them all, and slinking away, lest somebody might say, Well done. A very modest little Soccer wonder.
