B McPhail
McGrory
Match Information
Attendance: 60,000
Referee: T Small (Dundee)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
After the usual attack of nerves had been overcome, Celtic and Rangers provided a 60,000 crowd with a hard game, which if not exactly overcrowded with masterly football, was hard and always interesting. It was a game of two halfs. Celtic were the masters in the first portion, while Rangers dominated the second. A draw was a good result. This was a game of might-have-beens. It might have been a Celtic victory; it might have been a Rangers victory, and it might have been productive of a lot more better football. However, in regard to the latter aspect, I suppose we must be thankful for that which was served up. On the whole, it was quite satisfying fare for the occasion, hard enough, eager enough, and at times skilful enough. It was a game of two halfs, and each eleven played their best when opposed to a wind that blew fitfully and never with any consistency of strength. The first half belonged to Celtic, and they should have retired at the interval with a lead much more substantial than one clear goal. At the opening, nerves, as usual, were in evidence, but Celtic mastering them first went on to make Rangers look a disorganised force. Simpson, as usual, made himself the opposing centre-forwards shadow, but McGrory early showed that it is possible to rid himself of such a shadow. His tactics recalled to me the game an International at Hampden in which I first saw Andy Wilson play for Scotland. Wilson that day was opposed by a namesake, George of Sheffield Wednesday but the latter, fine player though he was seldom knew the Scots location. Andy kept on the move and was seldom in the position in which one expects to find a centre-forward. McGrory adopted those tactics yesterday. He was for ever on the move, in the first half, and the result was, Simpson sort of lost his bearings. That McGrorys methods were profitable was revealed by the many occasions on which Simpson was chasing the Celtic centre. Nearing the interval such had been the anxiety caused to Simpson that the Ibrox pivot was more like a second goalkeeper than a third back. And it was this upsetting of Simpson that I verily believe, led to the upsetting of Rangers as a whole. Celtic should have got more goals, but their attack at close quarters completely lacked incisiveness. Thomson and Napier were too inclined to hang back, while ODonnell was mastered, not entirely by the Rangers defender, but more by an overpowering desire to get into the centre of the field, thus leaving his true place bare and hampering his centre. ODonnell also, must learn quickly that the idea of football is to get possession of the ball, not the man. There were several little things he indulged in which forces me to say that as long as he persists in them, he offers no solution to Celtics left touchline problem. Celtics finishing, as I have indicated, left a lot to be desired in this half, but nevertheless, Hamilton got several opportunities to prove his worth. The Rangers goalkeeper had two great saves, one from Napier and another from McGrory, strong drives that might easily have been scorers. Prior to these, however, he was beaten. But he had no chance to save. Peter Wilson and Alec Thomson indulged on the right, in some close passing stuff, which saw the Rangers defence stand as if petrified, leaving brown alone to do the running about. Ultimately young McGillivray found himself in possession, and in allowing the winger to get the ball McDonald was completely outwitted. He let Mac cut in to cross. McGrory and ODonnell went for the ball. The centre was there first and slammed it home from less than six yards. That was in the fourteenth minute, and it was seldom before or after that Rangers showed up as a concerted attacking force. It was only loose balls that came the way of Kennaway, and that goalkeeper showed that there is no use for the sympathy that some soft-hearted critics call for on behalf of keepers. The Canadian, when picking up the aforesaid loose balls almost invariably found a Rangers forward in attendance. They rise in the air, or stotted off Kennaway, as that husky willed. At the interval Celtic enthusiasts, with that expression of anticipated victory, asked one another just by how many goals Rangers would beaten, but early on they were surprised, and surprised in a manner highly dramatic. Looking back, it seems hardly possible to reconcile Rangers first half display with that of their second half. Here, indeed was something approaching their true selves, although all through the piece Archibald could not get the hang of McGonagle. It was always on the right that Rangers offensiveness broke down. The Celtic left back could give Archibald a start and a beating. McGonagle was Sandys hoodoo. But what Archibald could not do the others did, and Celtic, for stretched on end, were defenders, and sometimes desperate ones. Here was the case of the tables turned with a vengeance. English was different, Fleming was different, McPhail and different, even that enigma to me, Marshall, was consistently effective, and behind them were three half-backs who showed considerably more assertiveness than in the first forty-five. Brown was the most mobile of the three, quick in changing from defence to attack, and vice versa; Meiklejohns positional play was perfect, his tackling sure and powerful, and his anticipation that which could only be prompted by a master mind, while Simpsons shadow was now much closer to the heels of McGrory. And behind them were three as safe as the bank. The expected goal came in the sixteenth minute, and indirectly it was the result of one of ODonnells indiscretions his unfortunate aptitude for taking man instead of ball. Gray sent in the free-kick, from a few yards on his own side of the field. The ball made for McGonagle. The wind caused him to make a misjudgement of flight. Instead of meeting the sphere with his forehead he made contact with the back of his cranium. The ball skidded to his right. Kennaway was quick to see the danger and dashed out, but McPhail was faster to it and headed into an empty goal. With Wilson injured and going to outside right changing places with McGillivray, and so causing a comparative disorganisation the Rangers camp following now assumed the smile of anticipated victory. But they were denied the final shout. Celtic battled bravely and held on to a draw. In the closing minutes, though, there were passages during which they were closely beset. And it was then that there was provided the biggest thrill of the game. And the coolest man of the 60,000 spectators, 22 players, 2 linesmen, the referee (and thirty pressmen) was the man who caused it Kennaway. Rangers were hammering away, and the Celtic defence was sorely tried. Kennaway hotly besieged. From a bunch of players, friends and foes, the ball came, guided by Flemings head. If ever a ball looked a scorer that header did, but Kennaway leapt at it, and from under the bar just picked it out of the air, hauled it down to safety and kicked clear. One of the coolest, one of the neatest and one of the greatest saves I have seen. It was a worth a guinea a box affair. It saved Celtic from defeat. Somehow or other such is the atmosphere od these Celtic-Rangers games I dont like judging the ability of the player concerned, and for that reason I dont wish unduly to stress on the performance, good, bad or indifferent, of any individual. I must say, however, that McGonagle gave a great display, a strong, whole-hearted, never-say-die, get-hold-of-the-ball-quick sort of affair that was most effective on such an occasion as this. But why must he sour the sweetness of the fruit, as he did near the end yesterday? In McDonald Rangers have found a successor to McAulay, but Celtic must go on looking for an outside left. And now the final word. I believe that the SFA Selection Committee were represented in their capacity of choosers for a team to meet Ireland. Far be it from me to offer them any advice. I have no desire to know what they thought of the players on view yesterdays, but I so say that Brown is Scotlands left half. He must be one of out lot to cross the channel for next Saturdays match.
