F Speedie (2)
RC Hamilton
Unknown (3)
Match Information
Attendance: 2000
Referee:
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
North End’s Christmas fixture commenced this afternoon, when Glasgow Rangers appeared at Deepdale in a friendly. These two teams have now occasionally met for a long number of years past, and although the Prestonians can lay claim to having consistently carried off the honours of the game, yet the fixture is always a deeply interesting one. The last time the Rangers appeared at Deepdale was two years ago, when the North End won by 2-1, while at the previous match, five years ago, Rangers suffered defeat by 4-0. The Scottish team contains some first class exponents of the game, men like Alex Smith, Hamilton, Speedie and Henderson figuring in the eleven, and a pretty display of football was looked forward to. Sinclair, the Rangers custodian was in will be remembered given a trial by North End a few years ago. The home team had two changes from the last Saturday, Tod appearing at left half, Brown returning as centre forward, and Bell taking Wilson’s place at inside left. The hard ground had been sprinkled liberally with sand, and happily the dense fog of yesterday had lifted, although a slight haze hung over the ground. The attendance was very poor at the start, only numbering about 1,000. Rangers kicked off, and the home left wing immediately got down, Sinclair having to save from Bourne. They repeated the performance a minute later, Bell executing some neat passing, but his outside partner this time was at fault, and shot wide. An attack was next started by Hamilton, but Rodway cleared strongly. The visitors right wing, however the next minute were more successful, and after Walker and Speedie had eluded Orrell, and some pretty work had been witnessed in front of goal Walker fired in, and catching the rebound from McBride, Speedie found the net with a stinging shot ten minutes from the start. Some pretty passing bouts by the visitors again led to McBride being tested, and at the other end some equally clever work was seen among the home forwards, Bell especially being tricky, but Smith ended the attack with a shot which went wide. The homesters renewed their pressure once more, and this time with success, for after nicely working the ball down, Bell sent in a fast low shot, which Sinclair, whose view was somewhat impeded by Fraser failed to intercept falling in his attempt. This equaliser was obtained after a quarter of an hour’s play, and was the means of putting a little more fire into the game, although naturally with the conditions prevailing it could not necessarily be of a very fast character. Smith put in some pretty work on the Glasgow left, but encountered a strong defence, and on the other wing Walker and Speedie worked well together, some of their passing movements being exceedingly pretty. On one of these occasions after Walker had out-manoeuvred a trio of opponents be gave to his partner, from whom McBride had to stop a fast delivery. The spell of the Rangers attack was broken by the home left asserting themselves, and Smith made a good use of a nice centre by striking the upright, the ball entering the net. This was a quarter of an hour before the interval, and on the ball being got in motion tracks were again made for Sinclair, who neatly caught a curling shot from Bourne. Following this McBride was busy for a time, but Stark ended the attack by shooting wide. At the other end Bourne and Bell repeatedly over cause their opponents the former on several occasions executing some clever runs. Once he had a heavy fall, but did not seem to fell any ill effects, and on another he was the means of a corner falling to the homesters. From this Brown headed through North End’s third goal. After Walker had tested McBride, Hamilton again set the forwards going, and while they were in close proximity to the home citadel the interval arrived. Half-time – North End 3; Glasgow Rangers 1. The players did not leave the field, but immediately crossed over and resumed the game before about 1,500 spectators. At the opening the ball travelled from end to end, and for some time neither custodian was seriously tested. Walker for the Rangers shot over, and later McBride easily cleared from Smith. At the other end a hot fast lade on Sinclair’s charge ensured, Bond worked the ball cleverly down, and a prolonged scrimmage took place in front of goal, but the custodian was equal to the occasion, stopping several likely shot. The attack was eventually ended by Rodway shooting wide. Ten minutes from the restart the Rangers obtained their second goal through Speedie, who received the ball from the left. The game continued to be interesting, been characterised by some pretty movements on the home side. Once when North End were pressing Easton shot out, and off the throw-in Smith might have made better use of a delivery, instead of sending in yards wide. The Glasgow left next took up the running, and from a centre by Alex Smith, Walker headed neatly in but McBride saved. Neither team could monopolise the play for long, and no player found himself unoccupied. A quarter of an hour before the finish the Rangers obtained an equalising goal, Hamilton who received a well place centre from Walker, beating McBride with a fast low shot. At the other end Sinclair was more successful than the home custodian in clearing and saving a shot from Smith. the succeeding play found both team struggling hard for the victory and what seemed a possible chance for Bourne, who after receiving a capital centre by Bond, dialled too long when in a favourable position, and permitted Easton to rush him. But immediately afterwards he got possession of the ball and made an attempt at goal himself. He shot just over the bar, but a minute later he fired in a terrific shot, but fortunately for the Rangers Sinclair dealt with it in a masterly fashion. At the end approached – by which time the fog seemed to be reappearing – much enthusiasm prevailed as both sides made urgent efforts to obtain the deciding goal. Result - NORTH END 3; RANGERS 3.
