A Cunningham 1
Smith 25
Match Information
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: William Bell (Motherwell)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
On a ground which gave players little chance to show the best that was in them, a draw was a good result. I don’t know anyone with a sense of justice who could be dissatisfied at the finish. Andrew Cunningham, playing against his old team, gave Rangers the lead fifteen seconds after the ball had been set rolling on a surface that, bur for the sand, would have been more suitable for a match at Carsebreck than it was for football. And a beautiful goal it was. Selecting his spot, with that dangerous left foot, which the Kilmarnock people used to praise, he gave Gould not the slightest chance to save. Like a rocket the ball left his foot, and the rigging was quivering ere the Rugby Park goalkeeper had recovered from the early shock which comes to all custodians when their citadel falls at such an early stage of a game. What a grand fight the Kilmarnock boys put up afterwards. They equalised, they were down again, and levelled matters up once more to send every one home happy – I mean every Kilmarnock man. It was a match that should have regaled every one present. The players played the game. There was danger in every step they took. The sanded parts were the treacherous parts. Beneath that fifty pounds worth of alleged protection there was ice, and when all the players came off unscathed there was relief among the people who can view matters in a sporting spirit. I trust that I can be included in that limited company. There was a period in the game when it looked as if Rangers would win. A goal start is something to be going on with. When they lost that lead, they were given another chance, and that was when they got ahead again from a penalty kick. Kilmarnock’s equaliser came as the result of a similar award, and then the fight began in real earnest. Midway in the second half Rangers looked as if they were just going to get there. They took a grip of their opponents. A goal seemed likely at any moments. McKay might have clinched matters. His luck was nit in. Gould’s was. He stopped a ball when all seemed over, and Hood stepped in to clear on the goal-line. Then a change. Kilmarnock came into the picture. In the closing quarter of an hour, it was touch and go, I can only imagine what would have happened had the local team got a goal at that point. Hamilton like Gould had just that little lit of luck which all goalkeepers deserve. He fell on a ball from Walker. Which looked heading for the net. That is football. I don’t wish to see anything better than the game I saw at Rugby Park yesterday. Every player of the twenty-two earned his wages. Some were more outstanding than others, but that is of weekly occurrence. Let me tell you now how the game proceeded. Rangers kicked off, with the sun in their eyes. McKay put the ball nicely out to Malone, who crossed for Morton to pat back to Andy Cunningham’s ready foot, and lo! – a goal. Andy’s shot gave Gould no chance. Kilmarnock pressed from the restart. J Hamilton had to concede a corner to Walker, but Dixon cleared. Another corner – just as fruitless – came their way, and then Rangers took up the running. Malone forced a corner, and a nice cross by Malone to McKay in front of goal found the inside left with his legs away from him on a slippy patch, and a glorious opportunity was lost. Fleming let Malone away for one of his tricky runs, and Nibloe was lucky to get off with a corner. Rangers underwent a dangerous period when Morton put across to Dunlop, who headed in with Hamilton beaten to the wide, but the upright saved the situation. Muirhead had a chance with a long drive which went straight for the corner of the net, but Gould sprang across and saved like a hero. After 22 minutes’ play Smith put the scores level with a shot which was well out of T Hamilton’ reach. Two minutes later Rangers were on the lead again. Hood handled in the area and Cunningham made no mistake with the spot kick. Then came a delightful piece of Rangers work. Fleming slipped through passed to Cunningham, who transferred to Morton, and the winger in turn tapped the ball back to Craig, who’s pile-driver was partially stopped by Hood. Gould found it difficult to secure the swerving ball, but Fleming was too slow up to be a danger. Lindsay finished off a nice sprint with a well-timed shot, which Hamilton dealt with in masterly fashion, and then Malone, whose combination with Craig and Cunningham was giving the Killie defence something to think about, made an opening on the Rangers’ right, and Alan Morton forced a fruitless corner. Weir, at the other end a minute later was held up only by force of numbers. Once again it was Malone who made the running for Rangers. The outside right crossed cleverly to Fleming, but the centre’s parting shot, with Gould almost on top of him, was too weak, and Hood cut in and cleared just as the ball was crossing the line. Kilmarnock pressed from the restart, and a free-kick by Morton was diverted by Dixon. Rangers broke away on the left, and Alan drew four or five opponents before crossing to Malone, who shot strongly only. The second penalty-kick came Killie’s way, for a foul by Hamilton, and Hodd like Cunningham made no mistake from the spot. Hamilton had absolutely no chance. Kilmarnock kept up the pressure, and Morton caught the eye with a well-directed free-kick, which struck the cross-bar. Killie’s attack was as persistent as it was varied. Andy Cunningham had a rocket drive, after Morton had made the opening, but Andy’s kick was wide. Then Malone broke away ‘all alone’ and with Gould rushing out to meet him, shot weakly parallel to the line. Walker beat Hamilton for possession on the Killie right and centred nicely to Weir, who rounded Gray and shot hard. T Hamilton did an excellent thing when he stopped the shot. It would have been bi disgrace to drop that one. Fleming broke through, but his parting effort was wide, but he and Malone featured an another Ibrox raid, and once again the ex-Saints’ shot was off the mark. A promising Killie attack was nipped in the bud by an offside decision, which did not go down with the crowd, but the resultant kick did Rangers little good. McKay then missed a pinch. Morton gave Malone a pass, and the winger’s lob centre fell nicely to the feet of McKay, who shot with little power right to the feet of Gould. A left off for Auld Killie! Dixon had to yield a corner to get rid of the fleeting Walker but punched clear well and the danger passed. Again, it Walker who made things hum. A run up the wing, a cut in, and a shot, looked well, but Hamilton gathered cleanly. Malone and then Morton put across likely centres, but Fleming was wide with his shot in the first case, and entirely missed the second. McEwan, from a free-kick, gave Weir a chance for the leading goal, but the mark and premature shouts of ‘Goal!’ proved unfounded. A great spell of pressure by Kilmarnock saw the Rangers’ defence hard pushed, but T Hamilton saved the situation with a fister out. Regarding the players, I would mention two right away who impressed me greatly. It may be a coincidence that they occupied the same position on either side. Matthew Smith and Andrew Cunningham were masters at their work. These is nothing in the placing of the one before the other in these notes. They played so well, in my opinion, that even if I were to reverse the writing it would not change the indelible impression which was left on mu mind after the game as to the influence which they each respectively held over their teams. Cunningham’s leading-out work was magnificent. Smith’s subtlety was no more than what I expected from a player who has held my admiration for ten years he has been with the Rigby Park club. Regarding the others I would not say one word of adverse criticism. All did well under conditions that didn’t lend themselves to good football. Might I say this, however, that a little consideration ought to be given to a robust player. Hamilton is robust. Every one knows that. As a strong fellow, he is entitled to use the physique which the gods have given so long as he uses these gifts fairly. I saw his partner, Gray, for the first time in a League game. There are possibilities there, but Manderson can come back any day. I thought a lot of both Nibloe and Hood. They took all the risks, and he would be a very severe critic who didn’t appreciate all they did for their club just as that crucial time when things looked blackest. Among the six half-backs I take Dunlop. He wasn’t so much better than the others, but it was a day on which he shone. Muirhead, Craig and McEwan, in that order mentioned, appealed to me most, but there wasn’t a weakling. I have mentioned the two forwards who appealed to me. When I saw Weir at Firhill the other week he appealed to me. I still think the same of him as I did then. Of the rangers’ forwards I liked Malone. I was disappointed with some of the others.
