Chalmers 58, 69
Missed Penalties
McAteer pen miss 15
Match Information
Attendance: 35,000
Referee: T Dougray (Nitshill)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Away back in the Barrowfield days the Clyde achieved one of the most notable successes of their career by bowling over the Rangers in a Scottish Cup tie played on the historic old field on the other side of the river from Shawfield. That victory was doubly sweet at the time on account of the Clyde captain, John Cherrie, having a few weeks previously thrown in his lot with the ‘Light Blues,’ whose headquarters then were Kinning Park. Early morning held forth the prospect of sunshine for the latest Cup encounter but shortly before two o’clock the rain descended in torrents. Skilful football on a pitch saddened by a heavy snowfall a week previous, and rain in the interval, was out of the question. The pitch was a lifting mass of mud, and pools of water were dotted over it from end to end. In parts the wings afforded some vestige of football, but overall the surface presented a dreadful handicap to the players. Braced up by a fortnight’s sojourn on the Ayrshire coast, the Rangers seemed fitter for the momentous struggle, but the Clyde were physically the more imposing side, and sheer strength in the end carried them through. The Rangers had Bennett on the right, and Law also made his reappearance at back after a month’s enforced absence. The Clyde had Blair deputising for Gilligan at left back. In the first half the Rangers never looked likely to lose, although the Clyde were grievously robbed of a goal after fifteen minutes, when McKenzie popped up and fisted the ball as it was sailing through open space. The resultant penalty was missed by McAteer, who shot yards wide. The Clyde forwards, were not so much in the picture in the first half. They seemed eager as their opponents, and none did better work in sending the ball towards goal than Booth, who was in rare fettle. In this portion, which ended without a goal for either side, the Rangers gave an ideal exposition of one-back tactics, and raid after raid of the Clyde were only so much good effort lost. Under pressure in the second half the Rangers backs were unable to revert to the same game, and with the Clyde gaining strength and confidence every minute in the second half, they forgot, or could not, stick to tactics which had been of so much utility to them earlier in the struggle. The Clyde half-backs gradually got the mastery over the Rangers attack and as their own forwards forced ab open attack better directed than their opponents’ had been in the first half they looked almost certain to score, despite great cleverness in Lock’s part. In thirteen minutes Chalmers from Stirling’s centre, scored a grand goal, and ten minutes later, the same player got home a second goal, while he had another point chalked off for off-side. In the end the Clyde’s greater zeal, strength, and all-round fitness prevailed, the Rangers retiring without having scored. On all hands the winners were acclaimed the superior side on the day, and right well they played to win. How much the condition of the ground was responsible for the Rangers’ undoing is matter for conjecture, but only goalkeeper and backs – although Law gave out partly twenty minutes from time – gave entire satisfaction. The running the half-backs had and the effort necessary to get in a kick took the strength out of them, and forward Alex Smith alone played to form. For the failure of the reputable more skilful team to touch a shadow of their form, there was ample excuse. Clyde never achieved a more valiant feat in similar circumstances. The entire defence was unbeatable, and in Gilligan’s place Blair set up a wonderfully robust game. The halves lasted better than the Rangers’ trio and the contrast on physique between Stark and McAteer was striking, the stalwart Clyde centre-half forcing the game as none other was capable. Forward, the line, once flushed with victory, gave an impressive display, and none failed. In the mud it was wonderful to watch the cleverness of Jackson. The wings were well mated, and Stirling and Chalmers, the latter especially, never served the club better. Stirling had the misfortune to get his nose broken ten minutes from time, but so well did the others play his absence was never felt. Everything came right to them after the first goal, and once on the lead they never looked back
