Rae (2)
Anderson <45
Match Information
Attendance: 13,000
Referee: G.W. Hamilton (Motherwell)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
To describe the Easter Road result as a sensation is to put a plain fact in the mildest possible form. No one expected it; no one could have been excused for expecting it. And yet there was no fluke about the Hibernian win. The Irishmen simply rose to the occasion, played with grit and determination, and reduced the team of the season to the impotence of a very ordinary side. Sterling half-back play had a great deal to do with the Hibs success. The almost total eclipse of the Rangers ‘ centre-forward testified to Paterson’s successful work, while Lamb never left off worrying Hogg, and Ker kept a good grip of Smith and Bennett. In addition, all three of them attended well to the needs of the men in front. It was good backing-up work that paved the way for the Hibernian forward movement and weakness in the Rangers’ defence that led to their success so frequently. The weakness betrayed itself most at left-back, where J Brown, the Campbeltown youth, operated for the day. He had a rough time for a player practically on trial. Early in the game Rae tested the speed of the new back, and finding it deficient, went on to beat him repeatedly both in tactics and pace. Both backs were at fault in the scoring of the first goal. Brown allowed Rae to outmanoeuvre him, and Campbell had the misfortune to head the ball through his own goal after Lock had turned out the strong shot of the Hibernian right-winger. The Hibs’ dash and smartness defied every effort of the Rangers to settle to their game. Even Templeton, who was playing only his second game as a senior pleased the Easter Road folks immensely by the smart way in which he dispossessed opponents, one particularly fine clearance of his being made when Bennett seemed right in to an open goal. That and a good shot by Reid were the only real scoring efforts of the Rangers amid the fast and open play which took up the greater portion of the first half. Growing in confidence as time wore on, the Hibs made an effort towards the interval of driving home the advantage which the incline gave them. And to such purpose did they do it that two goals were put on within many minutes. The goals went down to the credit of Rae and Anderson, who had each missed a palpable opening a few minutes previously. By the way of replay to these Hibernian successes Hogg had two great individual efforts, but first the crossbar and then Allan came in the way of his strong shot. The position of the Rangers at the interval, if not quite hopeless, was sufficiently near it to make the issue secure when Bell scored another goal shortly after resuming. Later on the same player missed a much better chance when the ball dropped at his feet in the goalmouth, but he scored again in the last minute of the game, and two goals against the Rangers would satisfy most seasoned players let alone a new recruit from juniorism. Latterly the Rangers were well beaten. The tide had been running against them from the start of the game, and their every effort to make headway was unavailing. They failed to adopt such tactics as would meet the bustling game of the Hibs, accompanied as it was by more sound football than the team has played in its last half dozen gamed but together. The good play of the Easter Road men was all the more surprising in view of the fact that not only did the team contain two young recruits, but it had two changes rendered necessary at the last moment by injuries to Birrell and Smith, who have lately been playing more consistently than any of the others. Girdwood came in at back, and played as good a game as ever he has done at Easter Road. He had a capital partner in Templeton, whose skill in tackling impressed on one the conviction that the Hibernian officials are maintaining their reputation for being able to lay hands on reliable defenders whenever occasion may require. The other new recruit was also quite a success. Though frequently falling a prey to Campbell’s offside tactics. Bell showed a distinct aptitude for the centre-forward position. If he and the other forwards can reproduce Saturday’s form the troubles of the Hibernian officials should be almost at an end. The pick of the line was Rae, who received splendid support from Fleming. Though the other wing was not quite so good, both Hendren and Anderson played a serviceable game. The good form of the half-backs having already been commented on, it only remains to be added with regard to the Hibs’ team that Allan was capable of undertaking much more work than the little he got to do. There was a suspicion of tiredness about some of the Rangers’ players. It may be that the New Year matches took a lot out of them; at all events they could give nothing in return for that little bit extra which every man in the Hibs’ side was putting in, and which generally made all the difference between a Hibernian and a Ranger getting possession of the ball. The tightness with which Reis was held operated against the success of the Ibrox forwards. Hogg was the pick of the five. He played with a big heart, but his crosses were not always so good as his smart work on the touch-line. On the other hand, if Smith as less frequently in evidence, he seldom wasted a ball. Bennett was the smartest of the inside men, Reid being distinctly out of the picture, and Goodwin supporting Hogg well but otherwise doing nothing of note. All three were disappointing at close quarters. Galt was the only man among the Rangers’ half-backs who played to form, and if Campbell gave the better display at back it could hardly be said that he was free from fault. Lock was in no way blameable. He had no chance with the shots that beat him, and his saving otherwise was quite good. He was not over worked. It is curious to reflect, however, that the chances which went a begging were mostly on the Hibernian side, so that the score against the prospective champions might have been even greater! Yet no one would venture to deny that well as the Easter Road men deserved their win, a five-goal margin distinctly flattered them. There was a crowd of about 13,000, and on the whole the game deserved it all
