B McPhail 7
Fleming 27
Match Information
Attendance: 18,754
Referee: P Craigmyle (Aberdeen)
Matchday: Wednesday
Match Trivia
Rangers finished the Scottish Cup second round replay at Cowdenbeath resting on their oars. It would have been different had Lindsay and Martin been able to finish their work when two great chances came to them, but apart from that, the winners were the stronger and cleverer team. Yet the Rangers did not rise to their best standard, which teams seldom do in Cup-ties, and especially in replayed Cup-ties. I fancy Cowdenbeath had not fully recovered from their exciting advantage at Ibrox, they lacked alertness, their team work was deficient. But from what I have heard of the Ibrox affair, this was a different Rangers rear. Meiklejohn was the real Meiklejohn. He was the man of the hour-and-a-half, and next to him was Newry Hamilton – they were both strong. They were ever on the scene when danger cropped up, and more than that, they were constantly preventing danger from developing. When I saw Meiklejohn on New Year’s Day at Parkhead, I said he had played the best game I had seen him play. He was even better at Central Park. He had to get more about, he had to meet opposition from a greater number of sources, and he had to take the gruel – which he did like a man. Hamilton made his mark in no uncertain way. I have heard him criticised often, but any time I have seen him he has played a sound, reliable game. He was the best back on the field. He times his intervention well, he tackled with a lusty vigour which showed he had his teeth in, and he came to the rescue more than once. I don’t know if he can have played a more useful game for Rangers. Perhaps the best compliment that could have been paid the Ulsterman was the remark of a Cowdenbeath man who sat next to me. “If that confounded Irishman wasn’t there, we would have a chance.” The other Rangers men who were bang in the picture were Craig, Morton and Brown. Craig did not start too well, but he came on with the game. His long pass to the right was the right thing to open the game. He followed up and was ready for the return pass and a shot. Brown has great ability, but I should like to see him not roaming so much. He must dim the edge of his play by working so hard when there is sometimes no need to do it. He had some beautiful touches, but I doubt if he hits That can easily be corrected. And there on the left was Alan Morton, the two-footed professor. Brains, brains, brains! I saw him do thing which were making things easy for his colleagues, who did not always anticipate the meaning of them. Wembley for Alan. Gray was not so prominent as I have seen him, but he kicked a good ball. Buchanan wrought hard and often to good purpose. Archibald did not take full advantage of his chances. He too often struck an opponent with the ball, but it was a beautiful centre of his that led to their third goal. McPhail and Fleming were always at it, and the Cowdenbeath defence knew they were there. But McPhail might have had a couple of more goals. I thought Middleton should have averted the first and second goals, but it is easy criticising. He was good at taking balls coming straight, but not so good at the crossed ones. Johnstone was a good working back. He timed the ball well and used his head with judgment. Considering what he was up against, he had great credit by his display. Moyes, to my mind, was weak on the right side, but he has a good left foot. I liked Glancy for his feeding of the forwards, and he was not afraid to go for a shot. Frame showed grand courage. He never shirled his work, and he had plenty I can tell you. No man on the Cowdenbeath side came better out of it. Campbell also worked hard if less judicious than Glancy and Frame. Pullar started off in fine style, but Hamilton subdued him. Devlin was the outstanding home forward. He was continually trying to get the line to work but with only moderate effect. Lindsay was in the toils, and Black and Martin never got properly going. Rangers went ahead after only six minutes. Brown went on with a pass from Buchanan and whipped the into the centre. Fleming connected and Middleton was beaten with a low shot. The second goal, in the 29th minute, was also led up to by Brown. He sent the ball across, and Frame jumped over it to let Middleton get it. The goalkeeper got it and lost it, and Fleming was on the spot to roll it home. The third goal, which came along 25 minutes after the change of ends, resulted from the best bit of play in the match. Frame had cleared a Rangers raid. Meiklejohn met the ball on his head, touched it to Craig, who took it on the drop, and transferred to Archibald away across the field. The winger side-footed it to the six-yard line, and McPhail walked in and headed through. From the scoring of the first goal, Rangers seemed to be right on the road to victory. They were too resourceful for Cowdenbeath, who have done well, all the same
