S Symon 21
Law 80
Match Information
Attendance: 9,000
Referee: M.C. Hutton (Glasgow)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
This clash might easily have been mistaken for a struggle between teams fighting for the championship or to avoid relegation. It was slap-dash stuff from start to finish and the pace was as hot as one of those Hollywood sunny days we read about. Lets thank both teams for the honest-to-goodness display; they provided no end of throbs for the 9000 crowd who waited in the drenching rain until the very last kick. Personalities were certainly scarce but there was not a single individual of the 22 who did not fight whole heartedly. Referee Mungo Hutton fully earned his fee. Tempers became frayed at times and stoppages for free kicks and minor injuries monopolised a good deal of time. But it was a rollicking good game, particularly in the first half, with both sets of defenders ever prominent in the play. Forward play was impetuous. The Rangers five were more direct but not any better finishers than the Queens lot and as you can well imagine custodians Dawson and Mathieson were kept more anxious than active. The only goal of the first half came in the twenty-first minute. Turnbull placed a corner kick to perfection and the ball drifted back to Symon, who took it on the drop and crashed it into the net from about 20 yards range. A mishap to Smith and shuffling of the forward line led to disorganisation in the Rangers attack and for the most part of the second half Dawson, Gray, Shaw and Simpson had to shoulder a heavy burden. But these Queen of the South forwards, although making many advances, showed little enterprise or adventure. They were far too orthodox until 10 minutes from the end when Law once again pulled them through. Following a corner kick Hay headed the ball down and wee Jackie pounced on it in a flash and left Dawson helpless. In the closing stages the Rangers became something like a live attacking force again and Waddell came along in the last minute with the best shot of the match, a curler that just flashed round the far away post. This was an effort worthy of a goal, but I was not sorry it did not find the net, as the Dumfries fellows were full value a draw. I am saying little about the players individually. Baillie David Martyn, one of the selectors was at the match, and he saw Dawson enhance his claims for international recognition. Alec Venters was tireless, did a lot of good work, but nothing specially brilliant to bring himself into the limelight. Anderson, the Dumfries left back was very sound. Bruce most effective at centre-half and Fitzsimmons a capable right back. McKillop held Law and lang in check most of the time, and Dougie Gray and Shaw were grand backs
