Unknown (9)
Match Information
Manager: No Permanent Manager
Attendance: TBC
Referee:
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
The local Caledonian Club reopened their ground at Telford Street, on Saturday afternoon, after a few months breathing space, with a first-rate match, in which, on one side, many excellent bits of football were, seen and greatly appreciated by the very large number of people who patronised the match. There were not so many lady spectators as usual, but those who were present appeared to fully understand the game. The Glasgow Rangers :- a club that is now familiar to all Inverness footballers – and the ground team were the contestants. Favourable weather prevailed and the ground, which has undergone considerable improvement calculated to benefit players and onlooker, was in very fine trim, if the grass was, here and there, rather plentiful. Mr WA Campbell, Inverness, our only referee, officiated, and the game was a pleasant one throughout, free of even a single suggestion of rough play. It would be a very good thing if the opening match should prove, as regards temper, a prognosticator of what is to obtain in the hundred and one matches that are to follow, when the season has fairly begun. No better model could be recommended to local players that the play of the Rangers who showed not a trace of feeling. Rebellious sprit, if there was any (which is not likely), was kept down to somewhat about zero. A few of the Inverness men were unduly excited, but their play was of the some gentlemanly character as their neighbours’. Before many minutes of the game were over it was evident that the Caledonian were to be condignly punished for their temerity in challenging a team like that of the Rangers without first going through the refining fire of a few matches with some of the strongest local clubs. Play was just started when, by a clever wing movement, a point was notched against the Caledonian. Then followed a long spell of beautiful forward play, in which the five front men from Ibrox Park participated. Combination was apparent in every lick of the ball, which was tipped about from one player to another in a manner that dumfounded the defenders of the Highland goal. Every stroke, whether it was a pass, a centre, or a shot, was done in such a clever, raid way, and the Rangers were so much speedier in their running than their opponents, that they frequently found themselves under the shadow of their enemies’ crossbar. Without being too anxious to pile on the agony, they sent the ball through now and again. Their intentions were, however sometimes thwarted by the Inverness goalkeeper, who ‘negotiated’ several very difficult shots at his fortress. The local back division was far from being a match for the Glaswegian forwards. When they did succeed in returning the ball, spasmodic efforts were made by the Caledonian forwards to take it away to at least, the vicinity of the Rangers goal, but such laudable endeavours were nipped in the bud by one of the strong line of half-backs, or failing him, by one if the fast, long-kicking backs. So the thing went on, play being practically confined to Caledonian ground. The Rangers forwards play was quick and pretty in the extreme. The tricky manner in which the wings brought the ball to the Inverness goalmouth, where the shooting was hot and keen, was a treat to witness. Point after point was register, until the figures stood – Rangers 5 goal; Caledonian 0 – when the half-time whistle sounded and ends were changed. What had happened, in the first half of the game, at the one goal, was repeated, in the second half, at the other. Delightful forward play on the part of the visitors continued to be the theme of admiration, and the royal road through the Caledonian fortress. The local back division was again hemmed in, and their forwards were playing a waiting game, or, in other words, looking on. After adding on a few more points, at regular intervals, the Rangers evidently resolved to give the Inverness players a little rope. At all events, the triumphant partly dropped a little of their aggressiveness, and played in a listless sort pf way. Out, thereupon, broke the Caledonian forwards. And away they sped, once or twice, the Glasgow goal, where, however, they received a cold and sturdy welcome. After one pretty solid run, Chisholm, who saw something like an opening sent in a fast straight shot which beat the Glasgow goalkeeper? An artificial cheer was raised by the spectators, who had become weary cheering the points as they were registered by the visitors. The latter team did not exert themselves very much after the Caledonian gained their first and only point, but it was conspicuously plain to everyone, from beginning to end, that the local team was completely out-classed and need never have hope for equality – not to mention victory – in coping with their talented opponents. As it was, the strangers scored four goals in the second half, thus running out winners by nine goals to one. We tremble to think how many it might have been for the Glasgow men had they waged war with the Invernessians as they could have done if they chose. The Caledonians, we much fear, would have vanquished for evermore. The beating is a bad enough one to start a season with, and we somehow think that the local men acted a little rashly in bring up the crack team from the West at the outset of their play; but it must not be forgotten that a team like the Rangers cannot be got any day for the asking. Once into the running for the cups and championship and they are virtually beyond reach for visits like that of Saturday. Come when they will, however, their play will command the admiration of Inverness footballers, as it has done in the past, and as it unmistakably did last week.
