RG Campbell pen
McFie
Anderson
Match Information
Attendance: 16,000
Referee: F Heath (Birmingham)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Amid familiar surroundings and in the presence of a crowd that established a record for the county, the Falkirk players failed to realise the expectation of their supporters, and their Cup career for the season is over after a plucky stand on their part. I asked the veteran International back John Drummond, when the excitement of the game was over, to what cause he attributed the defeat of the local club, and he put it down to the state of the ground. ‘The Falkirk players’ remarked the veteran who delighted the Ibrox people for so many years ‘require good footing. They were denied that today, and you saw the marked difference it made in the play of the team as a whole. Logan never does well on a slippery surface, and he was unable to do himself justice. I mention our centre forward particularly, because the success of the attack depended so much on his effectiveness’. While I believe the unplayable surface was responsible for the failure of the Falkirk team to respond to is season’s form, the pitch adversely affected the opposing side to the same effect, and one is compelled to accept the result as indicating a correct reflex of the game as a whole, even allowing for the little extra luck the ‘Light Blues’ enjoyed in its course. In the first half the home players were the more frequent attacking side, and but for a ‘penalty’ given away by Gordon when the game was half-an-hour old, they might have lived to secure a replay at Ibrox. The Rangers defence stood up manfully to the fitful periods of pressure, their backs being reliable in their tackling and the goalkeeper resourceful and cool in his clearances. Most danger came from the Falkirk wings, and particularly from the right when Simpson was on the ball. It took the Rangers some twenty-three minutes ere they got a shot at Allan, but from this point their forwards began to exhibit more controlling power over the ball and to emulate the abandon of their opponents. Of the chances to score that cropped up in the first half the best was lost by Mitchell, who missed an open cross from the right, with only Newbigging to beat. It was a fairly lively first half and surprisingly fast, with the ball naturally beating the man. At half-time the issue still being in the balance, and visions of Port Glasgow must have flitted before the mental vision of many a Ranger when shortly after the resumption, after being denied a penalty kick, Falkirk equalised the score off a splendid drive by Anderson the captain of the team. From this point on the Rangers played the better football on the slippery ground. Handicapped as they were for Leishman had gone lame in the first half, but unflinching stuck to his guns, Falkirk struggled desperately to hold out. After twenty-seven minutes however, McFie scored the winning goal after cleverest bit of forward play in the match. Skilfully eluding two of his opponents in succession, he left them standing and dribbling straight ahead shot a splendid goal. Towards the close Falkirk made desperate efforts to save the game. All through this half Simpson had been neglected, but he got a few bright passes ten minutes from time, and danger threatened from the closing rallies he engineered until three minutes from the end, when the Rangers beat them off and in turn pressed. Clever goalkeeping was a feature of the play. I was never more impressed with Newbigging’s ability. One save of his in the first half, when he no more than diverted the ball flashed across the goalmouth from the right with three opponenets rushing upon him eager to score, was the cleverest save in the game. Allan, who proved his ability, was equally cool. Perhaps, his best save was a hard, hot drive from May in the first half, when his vision was partly obscured. Considering the treacherous ground, the back play was uniformly good. Hendry impressed me as the better of the Rangers pair, because of his smarter clearances direction and length of kicking, but Campbell was less often beaten, and more successful in preventing an eager left pair getting past him. Gray did not repeat his recent form, and was overshadowed by May, who was the most effective and most skilful half-back of the six. Stark shone in defence and especially in covering up when Falkirk pressed. Anderson and Reid, vied for honours among the home trio, but considering that he had his own work to do, and a lame back to help, Reid was the pick of the Falkirk lot. The forwards on both sides suffered most by the conditions. Sustained movement was impossible and they floundered and fell in the attempts to get to the ball. When tackled it was often a matter of luck if they managed to keep the ball. Some of them – and especially Livingstone – were badly ‘peeled’ by the iron-bound ground. McFie played the game of his career. Apart from the great goal he scored, no player bettered his controlling power, and so clever was he that the invalided Kyle was never missed. Alex Smith his partner was never at home, Spiers bustled a lot, and with some success, but he was slow to get in a shot. Without apparent effort Livingstone impressed in his maiden display for his new club by the many deft touched he put in, and no forward was more closely watched than he. The minutiae right winger Dickie showed his pace was equal to the best, and he got in a few timely centres without being unduly prominent. The home forwards might have saved the game had they given the ball to Simpson in the second half, but they kept the left wing going when the best operators were on the right. None excelled Mitchell in eager, earnest work, even allowing for his failure to score on tow occasions, Simpson was the most dangerous, but McTavish’s brightness was confined to the first half and the closing ten minutes. Logan was seldom in the game and could do nothing right on the slippery ground.
