Seymour pen
Gourlay
Match Information
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: A Allan (Glasgow)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
From the very beginning of the match at Greenock I did not think much of the chances of the amended Rangers team. They started so gingerly that I formed the opinion they were beaten before a goal was scored. On the other hand, so sprightly, so eager, so full of live were Morton from the stem to stem that I couldn’t see how the none too confident and not at all convincing Ibrox defence was to keep them out. The Greenockians were taking every risk; to say the least of it, some of the Rangers weren’t. Within three minutes, as the result of fine work by Seymour, Lock was beaten, but the point was disallowed. I was too far away to tell whether the ball was over the line before the little Englishman shot, nor can I say for certain whether Manderson struck the ball or the ball struck Manderson when Morton got that penalty from which they got a good goal, two minutes later. Rightly or wrongly, however, Greenock got the award, and Seymour sent the ball home off Lock’s hand. Occasionally, thanks chiefly to the forcing work of Bowie and Hendry, the Rangers made progress on the left, and Paterson sent across a few lovely balls. This caused trouble in front of Bradford, but for the most part the game was played in Ibrox territory. Many glorious scoring chances came the way of Morton – Buchanan and Gourlay both refused certainties – but their only reward was another goal registered by Gourlay midway through the half. And it was a beauty! His shot found the net off Manderson, after the inside right had come through grandly on the other side of the field. Morton started the second half as they began the first – as if they would smother the opposition. But they tapered off after having a goal disallowed - and rightly so. McIntyre’s shot was a first-class effort, but Lock was ‘taken’ too soon. This falling away might have been their undoing, for although the Rangers were playing poor football they were getting chances. To Paterson fell the pick of the basket. To me it seemed simpler to place it safely behind Bradford than to tap it (as he did) into the goalkeeper’s hands. Then Gordon failed to snap up a nice one from the left, Paterson following suit with something similar from the right, and Reid’s narrow miss was as good as a mile – for Greenock. Morton deserved to win, for they, on the day, were the better team in every division save goal. I am not disparaging Bradford when I say so. Lock had more to do, and he did it in the proper fashion. One save from Buchanan proclaimed the master - practically stole the ball from the Morton centre. I never saw Ormonde to greater advantage. He was the best back afield, and his partner was a good second. Morrison wears well. Among the half-backs Wright was an easy first. McIntyre is coming on nicely, and McLean did not balloon the ball quite so much as was his wont. Gourlay was the star forward – the best afield. But does he get the most out of the flying Torrance? The extreme right winger is no great player, but he can go like the wind, and if he doesn’t always manage to put the ball across the goal, he tries to. Stevenson, a pretty foot-worker, is improving. He is putting more sting into his passes than formerly. Buchanan did fairly well in the centre, but I have often seen Seymour to much greater advantage. Rangers have no reason to regret Hempsey’s absence, and Pursell they cannot blame for losing the match. On the day he was a better back than the speedy Manderson, who has still something to learn. Bowie and Hendry I bracket with Lock as the best men in a poor Rangers team. As a outside right Gordon was a dismal failure. Reid was seldom seen – he was overshadowed by Wright – Cairns and Cunningham were lacking in initiative and subtlety, and we only saw patches of the real Paterson
