Paterson 25
Match Information
Attendance: 23,000
Referee: R Morrison (Falkirk)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Rangers’ record has gone, and the League once again assumes a competitive look. For that Auld Killie are responsible. Yesterday they proved themselves a better team than the champions and won by the narrowest of margins a thrilling game that kept 23,000 on their tiptoes until the final whistle. It was, however, not a great game so far as football was concerned. The wind blew ‘fra’ a’ the airts’ and a Rangers’ player, after it was all over, said it was the most difficult wind he had yet encountered on a First Division field. The wind is no excuse, however, for it affected both teams equally, and I feel I am in no danger of contradiction when I say that the honours went to the side that played the football the circumstances demanded. Rangers started off promisingly enough, but Kilmarnock settled to their game, and when Paterson scored a peculiar goal, in which the wind had a big say, it was obvious to all that Rangers were up against it. As time went on, Kilmarnock developed their kick and rush tactics, and periodically Rangers’ goal was in jeopardy. Over excitement, perhaps, on the part of Cunningham, Connell, and Paterson prolonged the excitement, for there would have been no heart-throbs for Killie in those last ten minutes, and no need for Clemie to execute all manner of daring saves to keep the points in Kilmarnock. Those last ten minutes were the best of the whole game. Rangers died as champions should die! For the first time in the game, they controlled the wind, and had Kilmarnock under subjection. The attack flashed shots in at a heroic Clemie, who never once wavered in his saving. The Kilmarnock team was a shade more impressive all over. From goal out there was hardly a failure in the side. Clemie was magnificent in everything he did, while Nibloe gave quite the best display I have seen him put up. In Robertson he had a partner who was giving nothing away. The task of the backs would not have been quite so easy had it not been for Killie’s two wing half-backs. Morton and McEwan rarely play a poor game – yesterday they excelled. They pushed on the attack, and in this respect were ahead of their Ibrox rivals, Buchanan and Craig. Big Dunlop was not at home in the centre, and it was good job for Killie that Rangers were not too strong in the middle – but of that more anon. Ramsay may only be a substitute, but if Williamson had been available, I doubt whether he could have bettered Jimmy’s display. I thought – and I was not alone in this – that Ramsay was the best of ten forwards. He alone managed to harness the wind, and his square passes to the opposite wing half probably upset Rangers more than any other move on the field. Beside this, it was his delightful hook that gave Paterson his chance to score. The other forwards, too, were good, and one and all did their part. Now for Rangers! It was not exactly a good day for the Light Blues, but they are not complaining. The reorganised team was not exactly the success anticipated, but those last ten minutes in which they were rampant showed conclusively that the old genius is far from being departed. They made their effort too late to bear fruit – although Clemie and his backs seemed impregnable in the face of the sternest of opposition. Marshall started off in the centre berth and continued there until well on in the second period when Fleming went into his old position. This worked better, but perhaps it was because the team as a whole was doing better. The presence of Muirhead or McPhail in that attack might have made a difference. Rangers’ defence was not at its best, but no blame for the defeat can be placed on the shoulders of Craig, Buchanan or Gray. They were all up to form. I thought T Hamilton might have saved the goal, but I learnt after that the wind played him a scurvy trick, but otherwise the keeper did very well. Meiklejohn was not exactly at home, and he received a nasty knock which did not help matters, while R Hamilton kept a good grip of his wing. Rangers won the toss, but there was nothing much in the breeze either way. McMillan had first pop at goal after some scrappy play, but Killie retaliated, and from a corner Ramsay had a shot blocked by Buchanan. With twenty minutes gone Killie took an unexpected lead. Ramsay beat a couple of men up the middle and hooked the ball goalwards between Gray and Meiklejohn. Danny Paterson cut in and taking a first-time whack put the ball past Hamilton. Rangers were unable to reassert themselves after this, and the more dangerous touches came from Kilmarnock. Rangers were lucky to get away with it when Cunningham was brought down in the area when the centre was through all but for the goalkeeper. Half-time came with the visitors still on the aggressive. There was even more pep in it at the beginning of the second half, and with Killie still holding their own local hopes rose higher and higher. Then came the first application of the screw by Rangers and Kilmarnock had a hectic couple of moments clearing their lines. The move coincided with the changing of Fleming into the centre. The change was all to the good, for Rangers had shown more punch in these few minutes than in the whole of the preceding period. Kilmarnock were offered another gift when Connell, Paterson and Cunningham all had chances of potting at an absolutely open goal – Hamilton had dashed out. Archibald put in the shot of the game when he picked out a chance near the line and let fly at Clemie, who was staggered by the shot but managed to hold it out. Cheers for Clemie. The goalkeeper saved the day with his great saves in the last ten minutes.
