Match ended 0-0
Match Information
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: W.G. Holborn (Glasgow)
Matchday: Tuesday
Match Trivia
One big thrill, the pace a cracker, a 35,000-crowd roaring with excitement from the first kick to the last, the curtain going down amidst a buzz of delight and enthusiasm! Yes, a marvellous contest, when you consider the conditions and the fact that the teams were playing their third match within four days. It was not a scientific exhibition, but there were many streaks of clever manipulation. The main idea was to get at it, full steam and no surrender. Both teams fought out the match with such resolution that it would be a shame for either to be beaten. Rangers had to face the breeze in the first half. Thistle opened with a flourish. The forwards went through with a sweep, and Boardman tried a shot. It was not so good as McLeods a minute or so later, which went flying a little wide. With seven minutes gone, McAllister stretched a muscle, and that looked bad for Partick, but they bravely rose above the handicap. He went to outside-right, with Ness inside and Miller centre-half. In the second half, Ness returned to his own position, with Clark as partner, and McAllister went over to outside-left. The crippled made a good recovery, and in the last half-hour was as great an asset to his team as anyone. Rangers came along into an aggressive role after McAllister injury. Brown sent through to English, who raced to connect. The ball was dropping and English was ready to get his foot to it, but it hung in the air and Calderwood nipped in to drive it away. Right up to the interval, it was needle play, with both missing chances. The defence was very strong, and nothing was given away. It was the same in the second half with the difference that Dawson and Jackson now got the opportunity to draw the cheers. Jacksons masterpiece was a save from a tremendous drive by Fleming. The ball was travelling shoulder high, and Jackson shot out his hands to get it. He could only divert its course, and it seemed to be in the net when he made a spring sideways and grabbed it. The air rang with applause. It was a wonderful effort. Then Dawson had his chance. Thistles forwards rattled along, and Ballantyne shot a beauty, which Dawson as grandly saved. Next, Rangers forwards were down with a rush and McPhail whipped one at Jackson, who caught and cleared. My word, how the game raged from end to end! Ness raced down the wing and crossed, and with Boardman and Ballantyne coming in to finish it, Dawson went out to make a sure save. Hereabouts, McAllister became a very fit man on the left. From his centre, Boardman had a great chance, but Brown made a quick intervention, and with nothing to spare. In one of their through raids Rangers netted. English headed against the bar with Jackson out of reach, the ball came back to Marshall who promptly netted, but the referees whistle had gone for something, and it appeared that the scorer had impeded a defender. Just then, English and Smith changed placed. In the last ten minutes, Partick found some fresh life. Ness was going on top great, and Boardmann and Ballantyne let themselves full out. And it looked as if Partick were to pull off after all, but Dawson stood grandly up to Ballantynes shotes, and Gray was a great back, while Simpson, limping was immense. In a breakaway by the Ibrox forwards Marshall got in a shot which Jackson held and while doing so, Smith charged him. Smith hit some shoulder, and Jackson just went down as if he were a baby. A free kick was given against Smith, but it must have been something else than the charge which was perfectly fair. And so, we went on to a great finish. The players came off shaking hands all round. They said it was a great game to play in, and they can take it from me it was a great one to see. We saw two fine goalkeepers. Jackson had the more desperate saves to make, and you could not look for anything better. The only little slip Dawson made was when he dropped the ball from a Ness corner-kick, but it was excusable on the day. All the backs were good, with Cumming and Gray grand. McDonald was troubled with Ness late in the game, but I have seen the same Ness work havoc with regular left backs, and McDonald is filling a position that is not his own. All credit to him. Of the half-backs, Elliot and Kennedy were consistently good, and so was McLeod Simpson, under his handicap, revealed splendid courage. Brown could not be a bad half-back, but the heavy going took a bit of the edge off his play. Miller rose to it as a centre-half. Ballantyne played his real game, and was, perhaps the best forward on view. Ness was late in starting. Boardman was the tireless worker. Had English been played to as he ought, he would have given results. The fault was not so much that of his inside supports as of the outside men. Fleming and Smith worked too
