J Bowie 40
Gardner >45
Branscombe
Goodwin
Match Information
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: H Humphries (Glasgow)
Matchday: Thursday
Match Trivia
What impressed me most forcibly in the League match at Firhill was the wealth of reserve talent at the command of Partick Thistle and Rangers. With the champions deprived of the services of Lock, Campbell, Gordon, Hendry, Galt, Hogg, Reid, Bennett and Alex Smith – only two short if a team – and Partick having to take the field without McKenzie, Raisbeck, Hamilton and King, one might be excused if he looked for football of a secondary quality. Those who thought so were quickly disillusioned. I have seen many fast games at Firhill, but few to beat that of yesterday. I am not forgetting that afternoon when the Rangers first made their appearance in this compact Glasgow North-West enclosure. I likened the Ibrox forwards that day to hounds slipped from the leash. Yesterday they may not have been quite so speedy, but there was no question as to their earnestness of ability. Add that the Partick attack touched a standard far much in advance of what their patrons have been used to for a long time, and it naturally follows the 22,000 people who graced the match had full value for their money. During the earlier stages, the respective half-back and full back divisions dominated the play to a great extent, and the feeling was general that a goal either way would decide the issue. Not that the forward lines were doing badly. As a matter of fact, both attacking divisions showed much clever play, but they found themselves up against resolute half-backs, who neither gave nor asked for quarter. Many folks consider if Raisbeck is not in the Thistle team, the bone is taken out of the Firhill defences. I yield to no man in my admiration for the veteran, still I must say his place was well filed. Davidson is certainly lacking in experience, but there is no question about his energy and whole-heartedness. Parker, I knew, will corroborate this statement. On the other side Waddell, unorthodox as ever, got through a power of work; and Logan, and R Brown forced the game to much purpose as Wilson did for the Thistle. It was no wonder that goals were difficult to get! As usually happens in a case of this kind, the only score of the first half came simply. Waddell, unmarked, got down on the left, and sending the ball across, Bowie smartly hooked it over, McTurk’s head. The goal was cleverly enough taken, even if at the time it was hardly deserved on play. But most of the best work was reserved for the closing portion, during which time the ball was netted on four occasions. Gardiner equalised for the Thistle with a beautiful shot, inside eight minutes, and ten minutes later A Brown, from a lovely cross by Paterson, again gave the Rangers the lead. Mid-way through this half, Branscombe slipped a splendidly-placed corner by Callaghan out of Hempsey’s reach, and instant we made up our minds that the Rangers would drop another point. Indeed, they might have lost both about this time. For this was the crucial point in the game. Gettins was given a chance in a lifetime. True, he had Hempsey to beat. To beat him looked so simply. Instead the Englishman kicked the ball past the outside of the upright. That miss meant much to the Thistle, and perhaps more – a different way, of course – to the Rangers. They evidently realised that the match might yet be won. Both extreme wing men were now playing grandly, and the Partick goal was often in danger. And it fell to a smartly-taken, if soft shot, from Goodwin. The ball had scarcely legs to travel to the back of the net. Thus Rangers won. Partick have my sympathy to be beaten when only two minutes remained for play; still there is no blinking the fact that Rangers were just value the narrow margin by which they got home. No club in Scotland has such useful youngsters. Paterson’s clever footwork and crossing were admired by everybody, as was Goodwin’s accurate passing, and A Brown’s speedy runs up the left. The latter forwards had little luck with his crosses, many of which were blocked on the way. Parker wrought hard, but the ex-Ashfield centre is not yet a Reid by any means. His chief failing is slowness in getting off his mark, a point in which the regular occupant of the position excels. Bowie, the experienced unit in the line, was something of a paradox. In footwork none more clever, in parting with the ball no one less tactful. On the Partick side, Callaghan, who might have got more of the ball in the first half, was his old and best self, and Gardiner more than paid his way, The old Parkhead forward, who knows when he is requited to assist the defence, might be played oftener. I like Morrison’s idea of a centre forward’s duties. The Whiteinch lad, who played for Denny Athletic, is a trifle selfish, still he knows what’s what. And that is more than can be said for a few lads who have aspired to fill this important position in several teams I could mention. Gettins, even if he did taper off latterly, is a smart forward, while Branscombe also did well. If I select R Brown, Wilson and Logan in the order named for special mentions. I am not belittling any of the other halves. All played splendidly. The Kilwinning man was off for fifteen minutes in the second half, what time the trainer staunched a copious flow of blood from his nasal organ. On partly dead ground from which the ball rose nicely to the defenders, all the backs did well. Ormonde and Bulloch were best of the quartette, but Adams and Robertson were also very safe. The latter went off a bit in the earlier stages of the second half, but Ormonde, always a favourite of mine, did well throughout. After this latest display the Thistle directors should never dream of playing Bulloch anywhere bit at left back. McTurk and Hempsey have nothing to regret in this game. I can understand now how the Cappielow management have such a high opinion of Hempsey.
