J Smith 58
A Venters 77
Match Information
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: J Hudson (Glasgow)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Looks an easy victory for Rangers, but the Ibrox fans present wont be swallowing that. I had heard that Rangers were playing poorly, scraping through in recent games, yet it was rather a shock to see this display put up by potential champions. Take Meiklejohn, Brown, Gillick and venters out of this team and where were Rangers on this form? Falkirk, playing cup-tie football, pulverised them in everything but goals in the first half. It was nearly all defence for Rangers during this period, and they had simply to chuck over constructive work in such an emergency. Falkirk should certainly have scored twice over in this phase of the play, Keyes and the newcomer Dawson missing palpable chances. Miskicking was frequent in Rangers defence, but the break of luck was always with the Ibrox rearguard. Keyes got his big chance from Bartram who laid it on with a cute b ack-heeler, but Keyes completely missed his kick. Dawson later ran in towards an open goal, but impetuously blazed the ball against the side net. Meiklejohn and Brown kept play swinging by taking charge of Rangers, Brown forcing and Meiklejohn ranging both in defence and attack, slewing the brunt of Bartram off Simpson quite often. Falkirk sadly missed the shooting powers of Walker at this stage as the crowding out of Falkirks inside-forward was comparatively easy. Perhaps it was this weakness that cost Falkirk the match. The opening goal was bound to make tremendous difference to both teams, and that is the chief reason why Falkirk were unfortunate in their more worthy endeavours. Rangers lucky break in defence followed them in this important opening goal, scored thirteen minutes after the interval. This was entirely an unsatisfactory point. Preciously, Tom Hamilton had been knocked groggy on a foul by Smith, and later the goalkeeper went down as the ball drifted from the right, Hamill in an attempt to cover up headed the ball through his own goal and the fallen goalkeeper had to be taken off injured, Nisbet donning his sweater for a few minutes. Smiths attentions to Hamilton roused bad feeling and the play became sour. Without entirely losing their heads, Falkirk rather neglected their earlier forcing tactics and Rangers had more control of the play. But Venterss goal was worthy the winning of any game, though Falkirk were again beaten on the bounce of Fortune, as they looked quite as likely to equalise. Meiklejohn, the master-schemer, took the ball through from his own lines and Venters divined his intentions. Running outside for the pass, Venters caught it up in his stride, beat the opposition on the inside but stopped short when he had a clear view of the goal, ratting a magnificent shot between Hamilton and the near post for a brilliant goal. This came with only thirteen minutes to go, and McPhails third goal, three minutes from time, headed from a Robertss flag-kick, might easily have been saveable had Tom Hamilton been fully fit after his injury. Falkirk failed mainly at inside-forward, rather a chronic complaint. Cabrelli footered too much to suit the designs of the team-work and Keyes was no combiner. In every other respect Falkirk were sound, Hamill being a stout defender, Batchelor a great half-back, and Bartram engaging the defence manfully, but lacking support. Rangers cannot possibly face the coming cup-ties with any great confidence on this display. This scraping through business must be giving their supporters the shivers and certainly it is not commendable to what is reputably the best team in the land.
