T Cairns
McLean
Match Information
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: T Robertson (Glasgow)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
We were regaled with few frills or trills at Boghead. It was just a hard slogging contest, in which the prettier footwork and nearly all the method were supplied by the Rangers, and the grafting by Dumbarton, who came very well out of the encounter by finishing only two goals behind. The locals were so many hard-working units – Rangers were a combination. On a holding pitch, which cut up badly, the champions did not show penetration on a par with their outfield ability, otherwise they must have scored long ere Cairns gave them the lead, after Miller had parried a fine jab by Cunningham. The experimental Ibrox left winger chipped in, close to the near upright, and popped the ball past the helpless goalkeeper. In the thirty-five minutes preceding this score, the by comparison, ragged Dumbarton were dangerous on occasion; indeed, had McDiarmid been a bit sharper – or braver, should I say? – once in the very early stages, Hempsey might have to pick the ball from out his net – But the centre was just that fatal yard short. Most of the spasmodic foraging was done on the right, where Ogden, Boghead’s recruit from Blackburn was doing very nicely. A slip out to Young and another into McDiarmid indicated both brains and execution, and a shot which missed narrowly, showed that the ex-soldier knew where the goal lay. But the ‘nearest things’ were at the other end. Miller at full stretch, just got the tips of his fingers to a snappy drive by Bowie, and Cairns, boring his wat through, hung to the ball too long, and was up-ended for his pains, and a masterly forward pass by Bowie enabled McLean to get in one of his specials. Hard on the top of a difficult clearance, in which both Manderson and Blair figured, McLean drove in like a flash a lovely centre from Cairns. Miller was on the spot, however, and McGregor helped him out of his difficulty. These were the salient points of a first half in which the Rangers’ superiority was not reflected fully by their single goal. On resumption, the Archibalds came prominently into the picture, if only momentarily. The Ranger was caught up when prancing Miller-wards like a thoroughbred, and Hempsey ‘cornered’ for safety a dangerous ball from Dumbarton’s bearer of the same surname. A damaged eye brought about Bowie’s temporary retiral, and the Rangers were tied up for a bit, in course of which an Ibrox leg found a terrific shot from Hendry sore by accident than design. Then a kaleidoscopic change! Bowie returned, and in a twinkling the champions were at the other end. The inside right put the ball in Cairns’ pocket, so to speak. ‘Tommy’s’ shove through was perfect, McLean rounded McGrory beautifully, and the rest was simplicity itself. Miller hardly got a look at the ball as it flashed past him. With the scoring of this goal, ten minutes after the restart, the match, as a contest, may be said to have finished, although towards the close, when the now easy-going and confident Rangers seemed to be resting on their oars, Hempsey had to look lively. A commendable effort by Ogden missed narrowly, and a long dropping ball and a fast cross shot, which the Ibrox keeper threw himself at, were the most difficult propositions. Most of the top-hole Rangers’ forwards play was the work of the inside men. Both Bowie and Cunningham were splendid, and while Cairns did very well indeed, ‘Tommy’ is not a touch-line expert – yet. Archibald, who is inclined to double back, did not get the ball away so freely as was his wont. Dixon was the most destructive middleman, as Walls was the most constructive; and Blair, who has been at the top of his game since before the year came in, was much the better back – Hempsey’s clean sheet is his certificate. All the same, I preferred his vis-à-vis. In Miller, Dumbarton have an agile custodian, possessed of a good pair of hands, and a lot of ‘savvy.’ McGrory I place next to Blair, although Celtic McGregor was an eminently useful back. Riddell, the number one man on his side, may have used his arms a trifle too freely on his Ibrox comrades, but as the referee saw nothing wrong, Jamie needn’t worry. Joe Hendry, did very well indeed, and Ogden pleased me best of hat is, as yet a scrappy attack. But neither Rome nor a football forwards combination was built in a day
