Fleming 6
S Archibald 49
Cunningham 68
Meiklejohn 83
Stevenson 88
Match Information
Attendance: 32,000
Referee: D Calder (Rutherglen)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Rangers mastered Motherwell at Fir Park yesterday. They got an early goal, never relinquished their strangle-hold on the home team and came out at the finish as worthy winners as one could wish to see. It was a good day for the Light Blues. Things moved sweetly for them, but I always think that when a team is playing well that the gods of fortune favour them. Motherwell had bad luck, but they didn’t play well enough to deserve the good. And yet I could sympathise with them in the misfortunes that befell them. For instance, their usually safe goalkeeper, Alan McClory, made one serious mistake, and yet I have great faith in him. Willie Frame, most reliable, made more blunders than I have seen him make in most games, and Alan Craig, the centre half-back was not the Craig I have seen on different occasions this season. Then George Stevenson, the schemer of the attack, failed, and we saw no Bobby Ferrier, not anything in the way of combined or effective attack. But with it all one could not close one’s eyes to the carefully constructed and altogether harmonious combination of the Rangers. There wasn’t a department in which they showed weakness. They made mistakes, but the best will do that, and if they don’t, they will make nothing. But when danger threatened there was always some one to cover up, and at a time when Motherwell seemed likely to get the best consolation they could have had – an equalising goal – Hamilton stepped into the breach. Twice have I seen Rangers this year – on the opening day of 1927 and yesterday. Their play has suggested a welcome return to form which might bring the greatest joy of all to the new generation of Ibrox supporters, and to the old and faithful band who wish to see the Scottish Cup carried back once more to the home of those who follow the Blues. Can it be done? Play such as was shown by the Rangers team at Fir Park on this occasion might easily achieve the best results. There was a power and penetration about their every movement which demanded and commanded success. Where it was thought they might fail they rose to the occasion admirably. Now let me read you a little lesson regarding the run of the game, after which I will tell you something of the men who made their presence felt in this most interesting fight for points. As anticipated the game opened with great keenness. Motherwell forwards were first to get going, but it was Rangers who brought the dangerous stuff. Rangers were virile in their attacking movements, and six minutes from the start they got the opening goal. First Morton placed a corner nicely, which was cleared, but a free kick taken a minute later by McCandless dropped right into goal, the ball touched Fleming, struck the bar, came down and although McClory caught the ball the referee had no hesitation in granting a goal. Undaunted, Motherwell played strongly after this, but there was lack of that punch in their finishing efforts which was apparent in everything the Rangers did when near goal. Gray made a mistake, and it only required a Motherwell forward to be up to take advantage. Hamilton had time to come out and clear. Fine work by Cunningham gave Fleming a chance, and the centre shot well; only to see the ball go narrowly past with McClory fully stretched to save. Hard lines, Motherwell! After clever play by McNeil, Stevenson got the ball and shot. The ball rebounded from an opponent for a corner. Wilson placed the ball well, got it back to him again, and Hutcheson, with his head just missed. Cunningham tried one of his own specials, which made McClory hop. The ball just went past. A judicious movement between Cunningham and Morton allowed the latter to place the ball nicely to Fleming. The centre drove, but Frame’s foot intervened for a corner. Ah Andy! Just to show how much was expected of Cunningham, when the big fellow shot over there – was a general roar of ‘Oh’s’ from the Ibrox faithful. With five minutes of the first half to go, Motherwell had the hardest luck in not equalising. In the first instance McFadyen drove in a scorer, which Hamilton saved brilliantly, and that was all to the credit of the goalkeeper. But he was completely beaten when Hutcheson sent the ball back again to hit a post, with the goalkeeper well whacked. As the interval whistle blew Motherwell were attacking. Rangers two! With four minutes of the second half gone the Light Blues increased their lead. Archibald beat Frame and crossed. Morton caught the ball on the line, centred and Archibald got it with his head. McClory seemed to have it in safe keeping, but he let it slip from his hands and over the line. With a two goal lead the Light Blues were contented, apparently, for the home team did a lot of pressing without any of the gifts of fortune coming their way. McFadyen had very hard lines with a shot which carried past. Another for Rangers! When Rangers got their third goal the game seemed as good as over. And what a grand goal it was. Archibald made the running, and centring at the proper time, his delivery was met by Cunningham, who with his right foot, left the McClory boy not the slightest chance. It was a typical Cunningham goal. A bloomer! Just to show how unnerved the Motherwell players were, when Fleming went for a ball, Johnman and McClory got mixed up, and the centre shot a ball which the goalkeeper was lucky to get back in time to save. Rangers were in rampant form. Fleming hit a post, and Morton forced tow corners. Motherwell were going through a gruelling time, and when Meiklejohn with a brilliant effort got a fourth goal the lid was on so far as the Lanarkshire team was concerned. With two minutes to go, Motherwell got their crumb of comfort, Stevenson heading through. The goal came too late to be serviceable. One man in the whole twenty-two who did more to turn the game for his side, who showed to his fellows what was wanted, and scored what I considered the best goal of the match, independent of David Meiklejohn’s brilliant effort, was Andrew Cunningham. Many times, I have seen him the dominating force in a game, but never more so than yesterday, when he seemed from the very start to visualise what was wanted to get his team through. The open road and the open game was Andy’s idea – at least I think so without wishing to divine his mind – but he varied that with a subtlety which had a most generous response from Alan Morton, who was in one of those International moods which have so often made us merry when England had to bite the dust or chew the mud, whichever it might be. Alec Archibald played the best game I have seen him play for many a day, but I was a wee bit disappointed in McMillan and Fleming, who did no more than the ordinary. All the Ibrox half-backs played well. David Meiklejohn had a good goal to his credit; Hugh Shaw again justified himself, although I still think he is better on the wing than in the centre, and the only thing that will shift Tommy Craig is injury. Dougie Gray and Billy McCandless were good backs and Hamilton made no mistakes. I have said all that need be said of Alan McClory. George Johnman and Willie Frame were harassed throughout and made many mistakes. There was evident weakness throughout the whole half-back line. George Stevenson, in my presence, never played so far under his form. Bob Ferrier suffered, McFadyen failed to lead the attack as he should, and the right wing pair were eclipsed in the general inefficiency of a forward line which bever struck a game.
