J Smith 8
Winning 86
Match Information
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: unknown - to be confirmed
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
I formed the opinion at Fir Park that the one set of players always seemed to be too uneasy about the strength of the other. A breakaway by the forwards made the defenders frantic to cover. Often a free-kick would be conceded rather than a man allowed to travel with the ball! The positioning of the Rangers was better than Motherwells. The hard-earned victory of the Light Blues was mainly due to this greater craftiness. Smith steadied the attack and contented himself with keeping consistently in the middle of it. Wylie, the younger centre, bustling with energy, was drawn out to help wingers who seemed able enough to carry out their own job. Wylie is short of the repose of Smith. It will come with experience. He is full of courage. When I saw the strange formation of the Rangers forwards and the opening evidence of power on the part of the home players, I concluded the champions would be hard pressed to save the game. A goal in eight minutes inspired confidence in the whole Ibrox side. It was taken by Smith, left unmarked by Blair, who appeared to be confounded with the smartness of Gillick in getting the pass on to his centre. This goal had mush to do with Rangers ultimate triumph. There was not a half-back on the field comparable with George Brown. He was the man of the match. More active than Simpson and Meiklejohn, his value to the side at critical periods was always apparent. Simpson stopped the ball through the centre with more telling effect than the watchful Blair. Both Rangers goals came from raiding in the centre, preceded by quick movements on the wing. I was well pleased with the judgment of Fiddes and Winning. They lay wider from their partners than Bremner and Stevenson. Winning took the second goal five minutes from time like a veteran accustomed to steady up before shooting at an open goal. Most young players would have let drive the instant the ball came out of a movement in which Main, Fiddes and Smith shared in drawing out the opposing defence. For the most part, the attacking in the second half came from Motherwell, yet the Rangers had most chances. Dawson was in excellent fettle. There was a period of intense excitement fifteen minutes from time, following a free kick against Simpson, when Waless shot struck the bar. Not much luck had Motherwell then, or when Ferrier shot wide when close in, after 25 minutes, and again six minutes from the interval, when he just failed to squeeze the ball past Dawson, after a series of escapes for the Light Blues. Short of pace, Meiklejohn had the craft of head and foot to defeat the wiles of Stevenson and Ferrier. Gray and Ellis were heroic, quick-stopping backs. Cheyne kicked with confidence, and quite equalled the positional play of grant. Wales was the best of the home middle line. None of the forwards was wholly impressive, and they appeared to lose heart by successive failures. They had quite as many scoring chances as the Rangers. McClory kept his end up well. Not a good day for the referee! And not the brilliant game that was expected!
