B McPhail 1
Balfour 12, 41
Balfour 80
Match Information
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: J Thomson (Hamilton)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Hail, Dundee, the Glasgow giant-killers! Already with the scalps of Celts, Thistle, Third Lanark and Queens Park in their belts, they more or less politely added that of Rangers to their collection yesterday and gave a real meaning to the danger of bearding lions in their Dens. Dundee were the lions. They were not polite in their football, perhaps, but certainly they won on their merits in a game where football was a secondary consideration, but the will to win paramount on both sides. That about hits its. The game was too much of a struggle and first-time methods too prevalent to make an enjoyable spectacle. Rangers are not seen at their best under these circumstances, and truth to tell, they were a poor lot here. Their enforced team re-arrangement had an upsetting effect, and Dundee were the very boys to complete their discomfiture. The outcome was that Rangers were well beaten in the end. But lets give credit to Dundees achievement. A goal down before they found their bearings against a team of the repute of Rangers might have disheartened them, especially as Rangers were playing facile football, the Ibrox wing halfs joining in attacking and giving Dundee time for little more than defence. First run up brought the first goal, Simpson skying a cross which dropped and bounced out to the left. When Fleming returned it along the ground Marsh dived out, but the ball was too far from his reach for him to clear effectively, and when it got loose and the defence were undecided, McPhail stepped in and shot through an empty goal. The following five minutes were Rangers best in the game, Meiklejohn getting up for shots, one of which gave Marsh the opportunity to distinguish himself. Meantime, Dundee aspired to advance by long, wide kicking, and from one such by Campbell down the middle Simpson was puzzled by the bounce of the ball and Balfour brushed past him. Hamilton did the only possible thing, run out, but as he did so Balfour got the ball on the rise and headed into the vacant goal. This was in twelve minutes, and thereafter the writing was on the wall. Rangers lost their combined touch and Dundee became more and more assertive, culminating in Balfour giving them the leas three minutes from half-time. Rangers protested against this goal for some reason not apparent, but I learned afterwards that it was because Referee Thomson had, accidentally or otherwise, blown his whistle for a stoppage. The ball was being bandied about in front of Rangers goal and Hamilton handled it on to the post. The rangers players though the referee presumed the ball was going round for a corner and had signalled this when he blew his whistle. They stopped up momentarily, but not so Balfour, who had an easy task of scoring as the ball came back into play. It looked heavy odds on Dundee turning round with the lead, but that was reckoning without English, who was wonderfully quick in turning in a cross from Smith with a beautifully-timed flick half-a-minute from the cross-over. Dundee had the weight of Rangers in the second half, and rangers seemed to realise it. The Ibrox forcing methods had a chancy look about them, anything but what is usually associated with a Rangers attack. A leading goal from Dundee, headed by Smith from a Gavigan corner, made Rangers more ragged, more desperate than ever. Simpson was called up to turn the game, but the gamble failed, the throw going to Balfour, who rid of Simpsons attentions, had lots of room to anticipate Gavigans cross and shoot a decisive goal from open position. Rangers task was then hopeless two goals down and only twelve minutes to go. Dundee were by far the better balanced team in the second half. Before the interval neither Gavigan nor Troup were of much account, but afterwards Gavigan was more like himself, and paved the way for both goals. But over the piece Dundee were best at inside-forward. Balfour covered himself with glory in having a hat-trick, his second in succession, having had three goals against Thistle the previous week. Campbell was the best inside forward of all, his long dribbles and intelligent parting being a feature. In the latter stages of the game, when they had gained confidence, the Dundee front rank played really good progressive football. McNab vies with Meiklejohn for half-back honours. Colin nearly always saw a move ahead and had some rattling shots. Symon improved immensely as the game went on, and McCarthy kept a close vigil on English, albeit Blondy often slipped him and had no luck. Brown and Gilmour were never-say-die backs, Gilmour the darling of the crowd for his rousing clearances at critical moments, and Marsh was his usual safe self. It was a game Rangers want to forget about. They played badly and seemed to sense it. McPhail never got proper contact with Fleming, who was too seldom in action. Brown also was missed on his flank, Craig not finding conditions congenial, this affecting the movements of McPhail. Nor was Brown in happy partnership with Smith, though George was the usual clever footballer. Smith was in bad odour with the crowd through his tilts with Gilmour; but had the satisfaction of both goals following on his crosses. English was slippery as an eel and snappy at a chance, but these were few. Simpson was invaluable in defence, sometimes as a second goalkeeper. Gray was a splendid back, but McAulay has done better. Hamilton had no chance with any of the goals. Dundee look like being terrors in the Cup-ties, and Dens Park will be an unhealthy place for visitors.
