Fleming (3)
Dr Marshall
Brannan
Red Cards
Hamilton sent off 15
Match Information
Attendance: 5,527
Referee: A. H. Leishman (Falkirk)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
When Hamilton was ordered off at Armadale fifteen minutes from the start, although the scoring had yet to be opened, the game was hardly worth longer looking at. Rangers had obtained such a mastery that goals were only a question of time, even had Armadale remained at full strength. The circumstances of Hamiltons dismissal seemed drastic. It revealed the referees pre-determination to stamp out foul play, but undoubtedly Hamiltons reputation was against him, as usually a tripping offence of the kind is purged by a caution. From the start Rangers made light of the handicap of the narrow ground, and the holding pitch allowed them to exploit their superior science. The only thing that delayed the scoring for half-an-hour was that Rangers had to find shooting range, a difficult proposition against a restless defence, who could crowd out the circumscribed area in front of goal. from the right wing found Brannan in scoring position, but he shot loosely within Hamitons grasp. The keeper did not gather the ball cleanly, and there was some scrambling before he threw it clear for Gray to field. Incidentally, Tom Hamiltons fielding was unsatisfactory on other occasions, and Armadales goal came through one of these mistakes. Marshall played a splendid forcing game and was unexcelled as a shot. Alan Morton was on good terms with himself and the crowd, and occasionally chaffed the nearby spectators. The looker for bouts between him and Findlay did not materialise, as positional play, more especially when they were shorthanded, was little thought about by the Dale defenders, and throughout the second half Findlay inclined more to the left, leaving Morton to Joe Polland. While Rangers were in a different class altogether to Armadale, their defence at times was rushable, but Gray was exceptionally steady. McDonalds head intervention was often noteworthy, and he was altogether the bets of the half-backs in a game that ran mostly to his constructive taste. McPhails combination with Morton made up easily the best wing. Archibald had little scope for his raiding runs with the touch-line within a hop of the penalty area. Fleming took his three goals smartly, and had hard luck not getting more, that penalty trip by Findlay denying him when he had dribbled to a clear opening, and once he rattled the bar. Armadale were simply outclassed, and their individual players got little chance to develop a game. Of then work there was none, and spoiling tactics of the coarser variety were apparently the main intention. Rangers cleverness overcame that. Fleming slipped Findlay neatly to open the scoring in 30 minutes, and the back fouled him badly a couple of minutes later when he was going through for another, Morton making sure work of the spot-kick. McPhail shot a grand third before half-time, and Fleming and McPhail raised the total to five before Brannan got Armadales solitary counter. Fleming and Marshall brought out the seven in the last ten minutes. Hamilton (Armadale) was after 15 minutes sent-off
