T Cairns
Rutherford (3)
Match Information
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: unknown - to be confirmed
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
On my arrival in Kilmarnock station I learned that Scott Duncan was not with the Rangers. “The Gunner is in hospital,” Mr Wilton informed me. It appears that in course of his training in barracks the other day, Duncan fell over a comrade’s leg and put a knee out. I don’t say the artilleryman’s absence was responsible for the Rangers’ defeat, but it was a big contributing factor. There were plenty extra Ibrox players on the spot – George Law, Lock, McKenna, Logan and Dick Bell were all there; not an outside right among the lot. Ultimately it was decided to place the other Duncan whose front name is Charles on the touch-line, shove Peter Pursell further up the middle and place Logan between Bowie and Martin in the intermediate division. It was not a happy arrangement, and this make-shift company – never a combination – had the misfortune to be called on right away to face a stiff breeze, and eke an Ayrshire side very much ‘on its toes.’ It was early evident that Kilmarnock meant business. They made their presence felt right off the reel, yet by strong rather than clever work, the Rangers kept the game fairly open a bit. Indeed, Lawson came near to scoring once, but gradually Kilmarnock tightened their grip, and only the powerful breaking up and defensive tactics of Logan all the time, a friendly upright once, and then an almost uncanny clearance by Manderson saved their bacon. The big rollicking Irishman somehow or other jumped into the breach when all seemed lost. Fulham kept landing the ball nicely into the middle, and the inside men kept popping an odd shot in Hempsey’s direction. But no goals until the game was twenty-five minutes old. Then Rutherford had a try from a score of yards out. It was a lovely shot and shot and Hempsey was beaten to the world. Nine minutes later the ex-Yoker inside-left, who got hold of the leather near the line, repeated himself what time Manderson was appealing for something or other. I saw nothing wrong – neither did the referee. With the breeze behind them the Rangers mattered more, although before their solitary point came along, eighteen minutes after the interval, their own goal had a couple of narrow escapes following splendid crosses by McPhail and Fulton. Tom Blair, who smartly ‘cornered’ a couple of high balls and effected a very clever save low down with a couple of Rangers on top of him, was much put out by the goal he lost. And little wonder. Cairns’ shot was a sure outsider when it cannoned off the referee and found its billet. Hard luck, Blair, but the soldier in charge was an appurtenance of the game just the same as a goalpost, or a corner flag. No offence Gunner Dickson. A minute later Bowie got ‘a pinch’ out of danger with which save, I might say Kilmarnock picked up the threads they had let drop with the halt-time whistle. They were again top-dogs and value on play for Rutherford’s third goal. He picked up a centre from the left, and going on alone drove it home off the underside of the bat. That finished the Rangers but not Kilmarnock. Fulton muddled a pretty one which led to Hempsey being injured; it also gave McPhail an opportunity which he made the most of. In a nippy and clever Rugby Park attack, I liked best the inside wing men, Rutherford and Smith. Culley was a useful centre, and Fulton did very well on the right; better indeed than McPhail on the other side of the field. Fulton may never be as good a forward as it is possible for McPhail to be, but in this match he did the right thing. He simply got the ball across without trying to trick the Ibrox defence. Goldie was the strong man as Mackie was the trickiest in a never-say die half-back line; Hamilton and Mitchell were sound pair of backs and Tom Blair did the little he got to do as it should be done. When I tell you that Lawson was the cleverest unit, and that Cairns was the hardest worker in a scraggy Rangers’ attack which contained two misfits, I have perhaps said enough about it. When in possession, Bowie was often crafty and clever – what he lacked was power in the defensive way. As I have already indicated Logan was the main man behind – the big fellow had a busy afternoon. Martin and Blair, who both met with minor injuries, were far from their best. Manderson was the better Ibrox, even if he rubbed much of the gilt from his display by a shady and clumsy action or two near the close.
