Gilchrist 5
A Smith <45
Match Information
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: R.T. Murray (Stenhousemuir)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
I have heard much talk since the season opened about the weakness of the Rangers’ backs. People have been saying the team is all right except the defence. Some folk have gone so far as to state bluntly that two fresh backs are wanted. The players confounded the croakers. The ‘Light blues’ still win the away matches, and the backs keep their end up amazingly. I watched the Rangers’ back very closely at Fir Park. This game against Motherwell was supposed to be their undoing. Instead it proved a veritable triumph for the stalwart captain of the ‘Light Blues’ RG Campbell, and his young partner from Arbroath. Campbell id built on heavy lines. He is a back for whom I have entertained always a high regard. He has proved a bulwark in defence for the Rangers. His knowledge of half-back and forward play stands to him. His whole soul is in the game. The stronger opponents play up to Campbell the greater is his enthusiasm for the game. No man can blame ‘R G’ for lack of courage. He goes all out. Alike for tackling, shouldering his man off the ball and getting it away with lusty kick, he impressed me at Fir Park. He treated the Motherwell forwards with scant respect. Ormonde seemed infected with his captain’s zeal. He takes the ball beautifully with either foot, and kicks cleanly. Height, too favour the younger back. The Rangers officials need have no misgivings when this pair are together. ‘Your unbeaten record will go today’ was the pleasant greeting extended to the Rangers’ manager, by a Motherwell director, when the game started. ‘Perhaps’, was the significant rejoinder of Mr Wilton. The pace set was terrific. The home players let themselves go. The crowd roared its delights when Prentice flashed across a splendid centre, and Gilchrist took the ball as it came across and sent it spinning low beyond the reach of Farringron. Not even Herbert Lock could have prevented that ball from taking effect. Gilchrist was once a ‘Light Blue’. To judge by his facial expression, an unholy joy possessed him. Even the Rangers admitted it was a brilliant goal. Only five minutes had passes. ‘I told you our men were out to win’, remarked the Motherwell official. ‘If we can hold the lead until half-time, I have great hopes of our success’, whispered Manager John Hunter, who sat beside me. For a time the Fir Park players looked uncommonly like doing it. Grim and determined were the Rangers. Hogg and Smith on their respective wings were in top-hole form. Class was revealed in their every movement. Alongside the fleet-footed Darvel winger, who defied the passing of time, Alex Bennett was wondrously nippy. No wing on the field was more effective. It was a treat to witness the movements of the pair. Jim Gordon was the liveliest member of a sound Ibrox defence. His resourcefulness puzzled the energetic opposition. He dribbled back, dashed forward, and passed the ball the ball on with an accuracy none bettered. Off one of his single-handed movements Smith got away, evaded Wilson with ease, and shot the equalising goal with the right foot. The big crowd from Glasgow revealed the huge living freight the Caledonian Company had tackled at the Central Station. On to half-time the equal struggle waged. Against the wind the Rangers exhibited the superior football. Their combination was vastly superior to anything their opponents could show. Motherwell were badly served in the centre by Hunter, and none of their half-backs opened out the game as did Galt and Gordon. The former kept his wits about him, and Hogg and Alex Smith profited by his long passed to the wings. Could Motherwell last the pace? The Rangers supplied the answer in the second half. More skilful in the open and more thrust full at close quarters, the ‘Light Blues’ mastered their opponents. Whatever Motherwell attempted, they were one better. Their attacks were more frequent and better directed. Thanks to Kelly, Mair and Hampton and a couple of glaring missed by Reid and Hogg, they only scored once. Bennett was the operator after eighteen minutes. Motherwell made separate efforts to draw level in the last five minutes, when they were battling without Prentice, who had sustained a leg hurt, but the Ibrox defence prevailed. The defects in a team are exposed when they meet class company. Motherwell could not have a more severe teat than when pitted against League champions. It was no disgrace for them to be beaten by the Rangers. They ought to profit by the lessons of this latest match. I shall point out where they could improve the team. Hampton is all right for goal. His saving at close range particularly, was high-class. No goalkeeper could have done better. The back play was unequal. Kelly was great at left back. His tackling of Hogg, who was in rampant form, and always in position, was ideal. His kicking was sound. Wilson appears to have lost his form. He was helpless against Smith and Bennett, and could do nothing right. A rest will do him good. The half-backs were better in attack than defence. McStay left the wing exposed in his anxiety to keep to the side of Bennett. Lack of pace told against him when Bennett side-stepped and dribbled clear. McStay has a good pass, but he should keep his place. An understanding between the right defenders is wanted. Phil Watson revels in attack. As a centre half it is his duty to help the defence. He worked hard. He expended every ounce of energy that was in him, but when Reid broke through, a big gap was revealed up the centre and Phil was too slow to catch the younger man. Mair kept to his wing. His style of half-back play was the nearest approach on his side to the methods adopted by the Rangers trio. A wide gulf separated the forwards. Motherwell cannot hope to have a line like the Rangers all at once, but they can produce a better attack. Begin with the key to the position. Hunter is not a centre. He lacks the faculty to distribute the play. Not once did he consider the wings in this match. All his work is forward. It is a stroke of luck if he gets through his men. The right wing need not be disturbed. Bellamy clever as ever, was the pick of the line. He worked hard and cutely for a goal, and had hard luck not to get one. Gilchrist is heady and courageous and will yet strike a good game with the Dundee trickster, who has to be kept going. Gray requires another partner. Prentice is too light, and too easily knocked off the ball. I liked the Rangers. Their play impressive of strength. I consider the team to be as strong as ever. The talk about weak defenders is all moonshine. Farringdon taller than Lock, is almost as clever a goalkeeper as the man from Southampton. The backs are big and fearless kickers. The halves have a complete understanding with the backs and forwards. When pressed they slip the ball back, in attack they persistently follow up their forwards. Gordon, bar accident, will play international again. He was the start artist at Motherwell, and great all the time. Galt is an untiring worker, and is not neglectful of the wing men. Hendry impresses most with his headwork. Like most of the defenders he is big and uses his weight to advantage. I like best the quickness of the forwards to get up speed on the ball. Hogg sent in a few shots high and wide, but he was the most dangerous at goal. Sheer strength carried him through often, but skilful tactics were not lacking. Montgomery took a long time to settle. Sometimes when he looked half a yard late for the ball he got there. He was the only stranger to the team from last season. He is well knot and sends out a most deceptively clever pass. It is like painting the lily to refer to the left wing. Bennett and Smith are perfectly mated, and most of all, are adepts in giving their opponents the slip quickly. Reid did not score, but he kept the wings going, and shot freely. The Rangers, above everything else, excelled Motherwell in penetrative power, and their win was well merited. Almost 19,000 spectators were present the receipts exceeding £430. The gate return was £376 17s 6d, which is a record for the ground by £40. Considering that Celtic were at Airdrie, and a local gala was in full swing at Hamilton Palace, the figures testify to the growing popularity
