Richardson
Middleton
Match Information
Attendance: 13,000
Referee: A Edward (Glasgow)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
I can see the time approaching when it will be injudicious to walk along High Street of Ayr without taking your hat off. The deeds of the United will demand this sign of submission to superior merit. It is not sufficient to say that Ayr United have an excellent football team. They have beaten Celtic and Rangers on successive Saturdays, and the very best can do no more – except it were to beat the Hearts a fortnight hence. How likely is such an event I believe the Hearts are the best able to tell you. It is very likely, indeed. Against Rangers the United team were perfectly tuned up for a great effort. The week-old victory over Celtic, while depriving them of none of their cleverness, had added to their confidence. Every man on the side was literally bursting with pride in having achieved something great, and with enthusiasm to achieve something greater. Well they are all satisfied. Their victory over Rangers was splendidly accomplished. Rangers are not the force they would like, or ought, to be; but there was a fairly long spell in the first half when the best that was in them revealed itself. It was then that United were called upon to show whether they had the backbone to stand up against opposition with, at anyrate, a generous find of experience, and a certain power to force the game. In this period Ayr United’s qualities of defence were completely vindicated. The rest came fairly east to them, and I’ll tell you how. With Gordon feeling out of sorts, Rangers had to make a forward change, and Cairns partnered Smith. That was not the best thing that could have happened to Rangers. How keen were the United team was shown by the pace at which they set about raiding the Rangers’ defences. Almost in the first minute Richardson (offside, I thought) swept in a ball from Nevin that had Hempsey beaten, but which missed the goal by very little. This little incident told Rangers a story. They would have to be up and doing, and quick about it. So, in their more deliberate manner, they carried play into the Ayr rearguard, and kept it there without being able to manifest any sign of mastery. Still, they were pressing, so it was a shock to them when the second of two fast excursions by the Ayr forwards resulted in Richardson scoring. Indifferent back play enabled him to get two attempts, and with the second he could scarcely have missed. To Middleton much of the credit of the goal was due, foe he led in the attack with rare spirit. By far the best period of the match was the succeeding half-hour. Rangers, after some fluctuations, vigorously assailed the United defence. Smith kept getting across excellent centres, but the defect of these was that they seldom reached a Ranger. Lyall, however, had continually to be on the alert, for Smith took to shooting, and Reid, showing exceptional keenness, was difficult to hold. Once, also from centre by Duncan, Lyall failed to get the ball well away, and he was indebted to Bell for a quick clearance. This was Rangers’ good time. Every match has its turning point, and for Rangers everything depended on whether they could now gain any ascendancy over the Ayr defence. They tried hard, and often they tried really well, but they failed. A similar chance never again came to them. Of course, this half-hour did not solely comprise Rangers’ attack and Ayr defence. Far from it. The United forwards, by that rapid style of raiding – quick passing, following up, and accurate centreing – which is disconcerting to the best defence, had the Rangers’ goal repeatedly under assault. Enjoying fewer chances at this time, they were yet more likely to score, as they did. Reid had twice come to near to getting past Lyall’s guard, and things were looking rather good for Rangers in a general way, when in less time than it takes to tell, the Ayr right wing went through the Rangers’ defence, and Middleton being left with a pot shot close in, beat Hempsey with the truest of aim. Now, I am bound to say that the scoring did not represent the balance of play, but it certainly represented the difference between the two forwards lines in the danger they could evolve. This was illustrated in the next minute, when Richardson ran clear through the outfield defence, and just missed scoring a third goal. It had been a rushing bustling, exciting first half, and if, in a manner of speaking, Rangers were unfortunate to be down two goals, there could be no denying the cleverness of the Ayr defence or the smartness of the forwards in contributing to the misfortune. With a ‘Heave, ho! Altogether, m’ lads!’ the United began the second half. In the first minute Middleton dribbled through and centred. Richardson in going in to take the scoring chance fell, and the best he could do was to put the ball into the net with his hand. It was only after consulting a linesman, however, that the referee disallows the goal, which I thought he had first granted. It was now or never for Rangers. They made another big effort, and came nearer scoring than ever they had done. Reid dashed past Bell, and Lyall, coming out, failed to intercept. The ball, however, had gone too far ahead for Reid, so Smith made an effort to catch it, and just failed. The rest of the game was mostly Ayr’s. Rangers never threw up the sponge, and sometimes they were on the verge of a score, but the longer the game lasted the more the United asserted their superiority. Hempsey had to effect some desperate saves, and the Rangers’ halfs near the finish had to fall behind and assist Kelso and Craig in a stubborn defence. Some of the play of the home forwards was latterly extremely bewildering to the Rangers’ defence, and while Hempsey saved well and Kelso stopped several likely raids, I think the Light Blues could fairly admit that any ill-luck they experienced in the first half was more than balanced by the good luck they enjoyed hereabout. Ayr United were the better team, and they won because of that. Both Lyall and Hempsey merit praise. They did good work. But Hempsey had not a defence so reliable in front of him as had Lyall. When the goals were scored the marksmen were in the happy position of taking a pot shot from short range. It was worse for Hempsey than having to save penalty kicks. Being opposed by nipper, quicker forwards, Kelso and Craig were more often beaten than Bell and McStay. The Ayr pair finished as they began – full of fight and yielding nothing. Bell must have played as well as ever he did, and being an old Ranger, the fact would be observed with interest from both sides. Craig began well and finished below standard; Kelso on reverse lines. There was not the same disparity between the rival half-back lines, but the United here, also, had any advantage going. McLaughlin was the best of the whole six, for he not only tackled keenly, and with effect, but he passes the ball on with fine judgment. Dainty and Nevin were excellent in defence. All the Rangers half-backs did well when the game rolled with them, and in the first half they held the Ayr forwards fairly tight at times; but later that task proved too much for them. As a cohesive whole the United attack was much superior to Rangers’. The home forwards were quicker on the run and sending away their passes. Middleton was the best forward afield, and he and Goodwin the cleverest wing. If they had a fault it was trying to play too much football. The whole line hurt themselves that way. Richardson was always troublesome for all that he was closely watched by Pursell. Rangers’ forwards play was often clever in its way, and with a bit of luck there might have been a goal or two to show; but still the finish was lacking. There was not one among them who could snap the chances that were going
