S Archibald 55
Match Information
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: A Edward (Glasgow)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Ideal weather condition favoured the meeting of Rangers and Ayr United at Somerset Park, where the largest crowd of the season (12,000) witnesses the League leaders secure the points in a hard and interesting game. So well did the home defence perform that Nisbet’s citadel, although sometimes in danger, did not fall until eight minutes of the second half had gone. Morton from near the corner flag sent along a high shot which dropped on to the crossbar and fell in front of goal. The ball was only partially cleared when Archibald slipped in, and, although tackled, contrived to drive the ball home, Nisbet making a desperate attempt to save. Twice in the first half Hansen, who played with rare dash, had seen his efforts frustrated by the upright. The United had a fair share of the play until the interval, but McCandless and Co saw to it that Robb was well protected, and he got very little to do. Ayr’s chances were by no means improved when some fifteen minutes after the restart Cunningham, Ayr centre, following an encounter with Dixon, had to be carried off, and it transpired that he had sustained a fractured leg. Despite their handicap the Ayr forwards kept pegging away. Rangers, however, were always the cleverer side in the second half, and delighted the crowd. The fair-haired Cunningham was the brains of the Rangers’ attack, and he distributed play in clever fashions. He was always making openings for others. McLeod, Smith and McCloy carried off the defensive honours for Ayr, and, especially in the first half, they kept the Rangers’ eager forwards out. Forward, Kilpatrick and Muir were the better wing, but all five were well held by a strong half-back line, in which Dixon excelled. Forward for Rangers none did better than Cunningham, Archibald and Morton. Rangers well deserved their victory, but the United are due all praise for their plucky fight put up in the circumstances
