Turnbull 11
Lyness 34
A Venters 47
Douglas
Match Information
Attendance: 35,000
Referee: W McCulloch (Glasgow)
Matchday: Tuesday
Match Trivia
Firhill yesterday was frost bound and sand covered. It was like playing on rocks, remarked inside forward Jimmy Williamson. If a player turned quickly, he slipped, and if he slipped, he almost invariably fell. Considering the treacherous underfoot conditions it was a good game although from the early stages it was plain that only a fluke could win the points for Partick Thistle. As against Celtic so in this match with Partick Thistle. Venters was the big man of the Rangers team. It was really surprising to see the energy he could put into his work considering that it was his third match in the short space of four days. Some players would have been inclined to take things a bit easy. Not the Venters fellow. He was as keen as mustard from start to finish. I liked also the play of Lynas in the other inside position. He, too, was a most lively member, although his liveliness led to his wandering a bit, especially in the first half, in a way that somethings broke up the formation of the forward line when moving upfield. Between Lynas and Venters was a skilful centre-forward in Thornton, whose footwork at times was of the cleverest. Indeed, there was a bit of a mystery connected with the manner in which he was able to control the ball under such conditions. There was nothing outstanding about the play of the wing men unless Turnbulls magnificent goal about a quarter of an hour after the start. From a seemingly impossible angle he crashed the ball home when everyone expected him to cross it in front of goal. The half-back division looked capable of dealing with most of the Thistle attacks, and behind them were a couple of real trustworthy backs. A feature of the first half was the duelling between Shaw and McSpadyen. The outside-right gave the impression of sacrificing everything in favour of mastering the left back single-handed. He failed and should have altered his tactics. I was told that he was not one hundred per cent fit having damaged a toe at Shawfield. Williamson was just about the best of the Thistle attack, but some of his touches were spoiled by the state of the pitch. Like his mates he couldnt master the ice and sand. Elliot was a grand wing half, but I doubt if Sutherland is suitable for the position he played in. There was too much of the centre-half type of clearing the ball instead of lacing judiciously as a wing half-back should do. Curran and McGregor, on the whole had a good game getting much more to do than Gray and Shaw. Henderson came through the match well, and that despite the fact that he lost four goals. Dawson in charge of the other rigging had few direct shots to deal with. Turnbulls first scire was followed twelve minutes later by one that might justifiably have been knocked off for offside. Henderson punched the ball, and in doing so left his charge. He couldnt get back because he was impeded almost on the goal line by Venters what time Lynas headed the leather home. Shortly after Venters got through to score and near the interval Williamson cracked an oblique shot towards Dawsons right hand post. The keeper in trying to reach the ball slipped and he more or less staggered across his charge what time the leather found the net. Rangers other goal was scored two minutes after the resumption when the Light Blues were awarded a free kick just outside the eighteen yards line. The Thistle players adopted the stereotyped line-up, expecting a hard low drive. Instead, Venters, who took the kick, hooked it over the heads of his opponents to the corner of the net, with Henderson no doubt blinded and not getting up to it until it was too late. Thistles second goal was the outcome of a miskick. Douglas hit the ball low and Dawson had it well covered only for Gray to get it with his right foot and divert it away from the goalkeeper. But coming as it did in almost the last minute of the match it was too late to give Thistle the inspiration to fight
