Fleming 1, 9, 15, 55
J Smith 71
Match Information
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: J Baillie (Motherwell)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Rangers have never won at Dens Park more easily. Only in the last fifteen minute did they demonstrate any outstanding superior ability, but the game was lost and won along before that. To say that it was a disappointing affair is to put it mildly and Dundee would find it a bitter experience on the eve of the cup-tie at Aberdeen. Things ran too smoothly for Rangers. A goal up in the first minute, they played safety and allowed Dundee to attack for a long spell. This phase was punctuated by other two goals for the champions, both from sudden forward dashes. The game was a personal triumph for Fleming, who scored five goals and was always dangerous, on or near the ball. Compared with former Dundee teams, this was a feckless lot, though it must be granted they had a very disheartening day. The forwards were a hopeless crew, fiddling vainly for position. Only Kirby had driving force, and had the others taken his cue, it would have been to their profit. Rankine fared badly on his first home appearance. Only Blytg of the half-backs tackled with decision. Symon was erratic, mixing good play with very so-so stuff. McCarthy did much sound work but could not hold Fleming. Morgan has lost form, and Gilmour was by far the better back. But a more serios problem confronts Dundee in Marshs unsteadiness. The big goalkeeper was a bundle of nerves, gifting the first goal and mistiming the second. All over, the play of the Dundee defence left a disquieting impression, none of the division being sound. There must be a general tightening up. Simpson and Fleming were rangers outstanding men in a team unusually subdued in spite of the score. McPhail has seldom been so unnoticeable, and Marshalls best work was of a spoiling nature. Main was not the effervescent winger of recent games and Smith never made partnership with McPhail. Flemings opportunism was the shing light and put all the other forwards work in the shade. Meiklejohn was content to do donkey work, and only in the late stages did Brown come forward with his wonted skill. Gray and McDonald were sound backs on a busy day and let nothing slip. Dawson put in some fine saving early on, when Dundee looked like doing something, but had an idle second half. Rangers scored on their first run-up. Marsh letting a cross from Smith out of his hands, and Fleming promptly netting. Main led up to the second goal in nine minutes, beating his back and crossing for Fleming to head through. Fleming crowned a fine solo dribble with a third goal, taking the ball from midfield and shooting past Marsh from the penalty line. Three up at half-time, Fleming got the fourth by snapping a quick chance, and Smith the fifth by side-stepping the defence and shooting obliquely. Fleming completed the scoring and got his own nap with a variation of a hook shot from Mains cross.
