Napier 4
A Morton pen <45
Match Information
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: W.G. Holburn (Glasgow)
Matchday: Wednesday
Match Trivia
I would say a draw would have been a splendid result to a grand Ne’erday tussle at Parkhead. Until a minute-and-a-half from the end it looked like a draw, but boy Brown then pulled a victory for Rangers and gave them full points in the Parkhead Ne’erday battle for the first time since 1902. I was in the Rangers team that won in 1902, and here I was, sitting in the Press parlour watching a Ibrox side in 1902, was a spectator yesterday, and he told me he thought as I did – that on play a division of the points would have been fair and good. In the first half, Celtic played delightful first-time football. They made the ball move from one to another with the sweetest precision. The three half-backs were on their toes. They brought the ball ahead with quick control and sent it through with short and long passes which kept the forwards working in almost perfect unison. Rangers, by comparison, were heavy-footed. Except Meiklejohn and Craig, they found it necessary to stop the ball to get control. They were troubled by the skid, and laboured, while the Celtic players were going along in a way that made the thing look easy. Yet, for all this, Thomson had more shots to save in the first half than had Hamilton. The Celtic forwards did not excel as marksmen, but there was another thing which was telling against them when it came to working for position. That was the wonderful recovery and tactics of Meiklejohn, who played the finest centre half-back game I have seen for years. This should be known as Meiklejohn’s Match. With anyone less competent in the position, I doubt if Celtic could have been prevented from winning. But when we came to the second half, a definite change took place. Celtic sagged in several places. The heavy going was telling its tale, as was the strength and stamina of the Rangers men. The Ibrox team were on top now, though never playing together as they can do. They had the chances to go on the lead long before Brown snapped his opportunity, but the forwards showed come bad finishing. One of the chief aids to the rangers’ success was the great revival of craig after the interval. He joined forced with Meiklejohn, and the two of them may be said to have set the team on the road to victory. From what I have told you it will have become clear that Rangers had the winning spirit, which is a great thing. They were a goal down in seven minutes. R Thomson got the ball pushed out to him by his partner, Alec of the same surname, and without taking time to make ground, he centred. The ball dropped nicely at the feet of Napier, who took it first-time and shot an unsaveable goal. Hard on the top of this the Rangers’ forwards went through, and John Thomson made two brilliant saves from Morton and McPhail. McPhail’s shot had such force behind it that Thomson could not hold it at the first attempt; but he got it after knocking down. Another thrill followed. R Thomson went racing past R Hamilto and shot low and hard. Tom Hamilton had to throw himself full length to save. A little later Brown got well away with a pass from Archibald and put the ball through to McPhail, who was in fine shooting position, but he sent wide with his left foot. All the time Celtic’s forwards were playing fine football, and it was touch-and-go for First Napier and then McGrory adding to the lead. Connolly was in beautiful position when Napier gave the ball too much boot in making the pass. Nearing the interval, the Rangers’ forwards began to come more strongly into the game, and with about a minute to go, McPhail, when going through, was brought down by Geatons. It was a clear penalty. Morton took the spot kick. He took no run but placed the ball into the net out of Thomson’s reach. This the way all penalties should be taken, now that the goalkeeper is not allowed to move. A run at the ball merely reduced the chance of a true aim. On the play of the first half, I would say that Celtic deserved to lead. They began the second half as if they would prove as much, for R Thomson ran well on and centred to McGrory, whose shot rebounded from the always there Meiklejohn. That, however, was very nearly the end of Celtic as a real aggressive force. As they sagged, the Rangers came on, strong and virile, if not perfect in their execution. It was here we saw the value of Craig and Meiklejohn in forcing the play with their first-time passes. Once Craig sent Morton away. The wee man rounded Geatons and placed the ball perfectly to Archibald, who had nothing to do but put it in the net. Instead, he hit it full force at Thomson, and Thomson did the usual thing – he held it. He saved, also a great shot from Brown, and cut out centres from Morton and Archibald. Rangers were going at a good pace, without being able to drive anything home until a minute or a little more from the end, when the winning goal was put on. I shall teel you about it. Craig started the movement by pushing the ball on to McPhail, who raced ahead and rounded Geatons. When in a good position to make the pass, McPhail squared the ball. It was a difficult one for John Thomson. The ball was just too far out for him to risk going out to it, so he remained in his goal. Brown, who had anticipated what might happen, ran quickly in to intercept and when he got possession, he rolled the ball into the net away out of Thomson’s reach. The goal was a good example of the value of an inside forward being up. McPhail had taken so much out of himself driving through that he had not the strength left to finish the run with a telling shot, and had Brown not been there, the chance would have been lost. It was an exciting finish. Celtic had not time, even if they had had the engines, to hit back. It was a curious feature that Thomson, both in the first and in the second half, had more to do than Hamilton in goal. The Celt was wonderfully smart. I put him down as the finest custodian playing at present. His clutching of the ball was sure, and he had a one-handed punch at a Morton ball that I was delighted to see. Tom Hamilton did everything he got to do well. All three goals were unsaveable. I thought R Hamilton was the best back of the four. He was up against the best wing on the field, yet I saw him miskick only once. It was certainly the finest game I have seen him play. Gray was consistently sound. After a hard first-half, he was not greatly troubled. Geatons and McGonnigle were a pair of safe, hard-working backs. Many times, McGonnigle anticipated passes and got in to clear. I have seen Buchanan more in a game. He was slow in the first half but came more into it after the turn. I have told you about Meiklejohn – the finest player on the ground. Ge was master of the skidding ball, and his head work was grand. Craig had his happy time in the second half, and a fine game he played then. But he had some running to do before the interval. I have nothing but the highest praise for the play of the Celtic half-backs in the first 45 minutes. All three were great then. Robertson will play international yet or I am a poor judge. He is young, and it is small wonder he lost his power in the second half. McStay and Wilson were overwrought in the second half. It was terrible hard work getting back to the help of Geatons and McGonnigle, and it told on them. Rangers’ forwards were often disjoined. It was mostly an individual kind of game they played. There was not the blend. Brown, I thought lay too close to Fleming, but he did some clever things. As a wing, he and Archibald were not a success – not nearly so good as the two Thomsons on the Celtic right. Archibald, again individually, had some puzzling swerving runs in the first half, but he shot often when he should have centred. Fleming did not hold the wings together, but he was into the Celtic defence to worry them. I could dee McPhail trying to open up the game by sending the ball to the right, but he could not get a proper response. Morton got across some fine centres but held the ball too long at times. As I have told you, the two Thomsons were a fine wing. Alec was the cleverest inside forward playing – a real artist – in the first half, but he went back afterwards somewhat owing in a tackle. McGrory was strong-going and game, but he met Meiklejohn at his best. Napier began grandly but held the ball a little too much. He was a good raider and got some nice ones across. And so, a Good New Year to all.
