Martin
Match Information
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: T McMillan (Hamilton)
Matchday: Tuesday
Match Trivia
I take off my hat to the players who figured in the match at Firhill yesterday. They were all triers and stickers. The pitiless rain, which never halted, had rendered the going heavy, but the 10,000 people who stood their drenching like Spartans had the satisfaction of witnessing a rare hard tussle, punctuated now and then by thrilling incidents. Rangers won because, over the piece, they were the better balanced side, and because their attack had a sting behind it which the Thistle’s corresponding division did not possess. The result, if it does not flatter the Ibrox team, is a pretty fair reflex of the run of play, but at one time I thought Partick might get a particularly bad dressing down. I refer to the ten minutes which followed the opening quarter of an hour. During that period, Private Gordon, now of Fulham, who was lending his old comrades a helping hand, was at his very best, and, thanks greatly to him, the Rangers struck a game which would have beaten down the very best of defences. Which it did in two minutes, or seventeen after the start. Bowie got to work in conjunction with the soldier, and the result was that the left side of the Firhill defence was occasionally in Queer Street, before Gordon sent across a fine ball, which Martin headed past Ferguson low down. Fortunately for the Thistle, whose closest scoring attempt was made by McIntyre, and their best chance missed by Bowie from Whittle’s fine centre, this Ibrox game did not develop as promised. But it was good enough, and lasted long enough to serve its purpose. It brought about the solitary goal of the afternoon – it won the match. Hempsey got his greatest fright after the interval, when he dived out and cleared a particularly dangerous ball from the left, and, in the some portion, Martin with a glorious left-foot screw shot. Croot, of Stevenston United, and Bowie all warmed Ferguson’s fingers. The big Ardriehill boy, who is still somewhat crude in method, was a bit lucky certainly, but he looks like a good goalkeeper in the making. Adams and Bulloch were a usual – safe; and although McMullan please me very much than in the recent Celtic match. Durnin was the half-back that mattered most. For the reason that he played more consistently than Gordon, I put him down as the number one middleman afield. Gardiner, Partick’s other Airdriehill recruit, was often outpointed; still, he did fairly well. Whittle and Neil Harris were the outstanding units in a somewhat ragged if hard-working attack. In a sound Ibrox defence, rollicking Manderson stood out from his fellows. He also supplied us with a few thrills. Twice or thrice he went through the Partick defence alone. One of these excursions he almost capped with a goal, Ferguson just clearing against an upright almost. The big Irishman, who seemed primed up for the occasion, came on like the wind. When over the centre line he played the ball out to Archibald, at the same time signalling for its return. The little right-winger responded as he should and ‘Bertie’ went on again just to be pulled up at the post. Pursell nursed the ball and fed his forwards to much better purpose than on Monday, and Logan’s best work was in defence. Bowie, who seemed to benefit from Gordon’s presence, was also seen to better advantage, and so was Martin. Although not a ‘Billy’ Hogg in build, there was much in the play of Croot that reminded me of the buirdly English International. Once started, the Leeds City forward, who has been assisting Stevenston United for some time, is a difficult customer to stop. He can also centre and shoot – qualities which are appreciated at Ibrox
