Match ended 0-0
Match Information
Attendance: 31,023
Referee: W Bell (Motherwell)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
I must have yet to see this seasons Rangers at their best. At Motherwell; in the old-firm encounter at Ibrox; and now at Tynecastle they have not impressed me as a championship winning side, any mire than Celtic did at Pittodrie or Ibrox. Rangers certainty had the better of the first half exchanges at Tynecastle to the extent of a couple of goals, I thought. Yet they just got out. All along the front the men only on very odd occasions moved with anything like the rhythm associated with former Rangers sides. Davie Meiklejohn and George Brown, big men all the first half in construction and destruction, were useful forward providers, but as I said on Saturday morning, we saw little or nothing of those delightful seven or eight forwards attacks which we used to have in the Andrew Cunningham and Tommy Cairns days. I can see yet in my minds eye constructive, powerful Rangers teams who simply commanded success on the Tynecastle greensward. What had brought about or tended to bring about this retrograde change? I blame much the standing-between-or-just-in-front-of-his-back methods of Jamie Simpson. The big fellow certainly was a stalwart in defence, even it towards the close he tapered off and was helped much by Meiklejohn and Brown in a lesser degree. And this moving into the middle to a position much nearer Sam English where Simpson seldom or never was, if it helped the side considerably, made a big extra call on the skipper. Rangers first half attack was carried out mostly on the left where George Brown, Bob McPhail and Willie Nicholson carried out several very pretty and highly dangerous movements. As at Ibrox, Alec Massie was slow to get into his stride, and as a consequence this Rangers aggression was comparatively easy. Once a delightful bit of work should have brought about a goal, but Sam English happened to be too far forward, and the opportunity was lost. Referring to this incident later an international forward put it this way in effect. It is all very good being up, but your centre-forward is in front of the ball what chance has he when an opportunity arises? None! If he is a yard or a few yards behind he can go on, but it is useless to try to go back for it. And the Ibrox centre-forward was whistled offside several times. From immediately behind him as I have already said. English didnt get the ball as he should, but no fault could be found with Meiklejohn and Brown in this or any other respect. Davie was particularly lively; George wrought like a Trojan throughout. I have said that during this Rangers good time in the opening half the prettiest work was seen on the left; yet two or three very near things were engineered on the right. Why, Jamie Marshall flashed the ball into the net in the nineteenth minute. But no goal. Off-side was Willie Bells order. The doctors trimmer of a shot came back and got home off the far-away upright; another brilliant shot from the same foot was saved just as brilliantly by Jack Harkness, who had before this dealt magnificently with a McPhail scorcher. With Massie finding his feet. Coldstream Johnstone was brought more into the picture and a cross from him was nodded narrowly past by young Gardiner. And all good Hearts sighed for a Bettles head. We had a much better Tynecastle team now. John Johnston in his own way was giving the Ibrox inside trio little rope or rest, and then Herd must have been at his very best. Workers both, the right back did splendidly, and he and Johnston had to cover up the failings of the injured Anderson, who did much better later. A goalless draw at tea-time, the Tynecastle people had every reason to congratulate themselves and their team; at the finish the thirty-two odd thousand crowd were delighted with the men and the world at large. On the way out the general verdict was, Thats the sort of stuff we want; why dont they give us it every Saturday? And those long-suffering Tynecastle folks had reason to be pleased. The more fancied, the mightier Rangers, were put through it' after the turn. The champions must have got a fright. Indeed, they were lucky to escape. R Johnstone was brought into the game early and the Coldstream callant showed that he was very much there. His first drop shot from the line found Dawson wonky, Jerry made a very bad job if this one. Young Gardiner and Murray were in the vicinity, but neither was the taker Simpson was, and the danger was averted. R Johnstone kept going on and worrying McAulay, while Jock White here, there was everywhere, he had run himself out almost tried his luck with two shots or more that wanted direction. Came Alec Massie through, Gardiner carried on and John White just cleared the top of the crossbar. Happy Hearts! I should say so. The bulk of the spectators were in ecstasies now. It looked as if we were to see a Tynecastle turn up; a Tynecastle triumph. Dawson just managed to get at one from Murray, another timber-topper or scraper from Jock White just got over. Now ten minutes before the finish - it was a testing time for Ibrox. But the very nearest thing the biggest thrill of the match had still to come. And that at the other end. Rangers picked up the threads again and rattled along on the right. Fleming, like a speedy young stallion, galloped down on the Hearts goal cutting in. The air was tense with excitement. Perfervid Hearts held their breaths as they feverishly hoped that the Rangers outside right forward would allow the ball to travel a yard or less too far in front of him. Which de did, and like a flash out and down went Jack to throw himself and practically pick the ball away from Flemings toes. In the daring, this brilliant save, Harkness was hurt, but he got up in possession and soon recovered. These are the salient points in a match which gave very much more satisfaction to Hearts than Rangers. To my mind, Jack Harkness proved conclusively, even if he didnt get a great deal to do, that he is still Scotlands goalkeeper. No more need be said. Jerry Dawson fumbled more than once or twice and recovered. But experience should put this Camelon chap right; that experience which can only be gained by playing. Dougie Gray quiet and restrained went through the match without turning a hair. Dougie was less worried by Stewart Chalmers and Tiddler Murray than was McAulay by R Johnstone. Yet the Wishaw International came out of the ordeal with much credit. I have told you of the Rangers half-backs and of the Ibrox half-back game, of its merits and failings. It certainly makes goal more difficult for the opposition to get; but as played in this match it did anything but enhance the effectiveness of their own attack. It was unsatisfying; it raised the ire of a portion of the spectators who voiced their displeasure at the finish. Forward, Bob McPhail was the man of the line even if his direction was off at times. Willie Nicholson, neatness and prettiness personified, as in the Motherwell match, did not strike me as a match winner. The ex-Queens Park boy does not put into his game the punch he might and can, I think. On the right the two Jameis can only be remembered by the incidents I have referred to in which they figured. Strong enough, and go-ahead enough, they didnt blend. Indeed, I preferred the Hearts right pair. This even if John White was far too often out of his place and would persist in shooting from too far out sometimes almost atrociously. Yet and in the second half particularly Jock found R Johnstone oftener than Marshall found Fleming or Stewart Chalmers found the Tiddler. Stewart played too closely; his passing and shooting alike were off the mark. Murray bettered any of the other Hearts I have mentioned, but the pick of the basket was Johnstone. I remember once upon a time coupling this Coldstream boys name with a cap on his latest showing he is still worth one. From what I heard the Hearts expected little from Gardiner, and if thats the case they must be more than satisfied. Evidently knowing his limitations, this converted half-back kept going on, and doing so worried much the opposition. And like Sam English, Gardiner was not overburdened with anything like convertible balls.
