B McPhail
J Smith 12
Match Information
Attendance: 8,000
Referee: J Hudson (Glasgow)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Any doubts that may have existed concerning Rangers ability to make absolutely certain of League championship honours were quickly and decisively dispelled at Bayview. Probably East Fife were flustered by the comparative ease with which Rangers at once struck a purposeful and winning game. In any case the champions early movements were marked by an impressive sweetness and crispness which augured well for their ultimate success. Two fruitless corners were forced in the first two minutes, but in the fourth minute Marshall crossed a fine ball which fell to McPhail, the latter from short range shot hard into goal. In a gallant effort to clear Steel handled, but failed to hold the ball, which struck the inside of the upright before entering the net. East Fife temporarily eased the pressure, but failed to make any real progress, their passes either going astray or being intuitively intercepted by their opponents. The ire of the home crowd was raised in the twelfth minute when in a Rangers attack McPhail struck the underside of the crossbar with a raking drive. The ball rebounded to the ground and the referee promptly awarded a goal. Following a spirited protest by the home players Referee Hudson confirmed his decision after consultation with the linesman. East Fife made a vain endeavour to retrieve this double disaster, but the Rangers defence as a rule were impervious to these spasmodic and rather disjoined thrusts. Marshall widened Rangers winning margin in thirty minutes, when a sharp attack ended in the ball trickling slowly over the line with steel lying prone and helpless. At this stage fine work by their left wing enabled East Fife to assume the aggressive, and rangers conceded four corners in as many minutes. Subsequent exchanges were of a pretty even character, but an unfortunate lapse by the home defence a few seconds from the interval allowed Archibald to register a fourth goal. East Fifes hopeless outlook in the second period was apparent to all, nevertheless the Methilmen set themselves heroically to the task of reducing the leeway, but although frequently in close proximity to Hamilton, the latter proved equal to all calls. East Fife were truly a disappointing lot. Their form failed to reach anything approaching near to the standard attained by them in recent games. Their defence was undoubtedly their best division. Rangers success was founded on an all-round superiority, whether assesses on an individual or collective basis. To make any distinction in a well balanced side I would pick out McAulay, Craig and McPhail as being a shade better than their colleagues
