S Archibald 4
A Cunningham 40
Match Information
Attendance: 38,000
Referee: Tom Dougray (Bellshill)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Who wants to paint the lily? Few football critics relish the task, but it has to be undertaken sometimes. The big clubs get all the praise, I am often told, the unpretentious ones all the criticism. In the case of the Rangers-Queen’s Park Glasgow Cup tie it is impossible to avoid awarding the palm to the Ibrox team. From first to last they had the measure of the Amateurs, and what is better, they tried to play the game as it should be played. In this they succeeded. Until well on in the second half – when they seemed a bit fed up with the very easiness of their task – they had Queen’s Park in Queer Street. There were three goals scored – all by Rangers. But the second goal was the deciding item. Morton’s weird lob near the finish was not actually required to complete Queen’s discomfiture. There was evidence of accepted defeat long before the elusive Allan scored number three. It must be admitted that the Amateurs opened in promising style. Most of the play veered to Queen’s left, and McAlpine bamboozled Meiklejohn and Manderson by turning passes quickly towards his inside man ‘first time.’ As a rule, Scott makes McAlpine the raider. On this occasion Scott got the chance to go forward into clear ground. The policy might have paid against less watchful defenders than Dixon and McCandless. The back was too cool, too much the veteran to allow liberties; the centre-half too confident of his strength and experience. It took Rangers just six minutes to open the scoring. And what a charming bit of work led up to the point! Cairns to Archibald, along well-judged pass; an impetuous rush by Wiseman – absurdly impetuous, I thought; a side-step by ‘Sandy’, a moment’s reflection, then a low, fast ball that left Blair as if he had been stage-struck. The same impression of stage-fright characterised Blair’s attempt to stop Cunningham’s thirty yards drove six minutes from half-time. The ‘pile-driver’ from the Galston man could have been saved if Blair had jumped straight off his stance. But his feet seemed glued to the ground. The rigging was bulging as Blair prepared to get up. The second half was dreary. Carpet-weaving by Rangers – struggling, breathless endeavour by Queen’s Park. The only bright thing about the game was the belated sunshine. The play was too one-sided. Rangers seemed blasé – Queen’s Park reconciled to defeat! Eight minutes from time Alan Morton got one of his mystery goals. I am not prepared to criticise Blair for losing this sone. Even Brownlie has been bewildered before now by those weird lobs! Rangers’ players had a light task. Archibald and Cunningham found it a matter of boring ease to outwit Dixon and Wiseman. Morton and Cairns tip-tapped in a tantalising way that made one recall unimportant benefit games, where exhibition football is expected. Henderson dashed about without effecting a great deal, but he was useful. The defence had a practice game. Queen’s Park are to be sympathised with. Their best intentions always went agley. Wiseman’s weak kicking, Blair’s inexperience, McAlpine’s hopeless play, contributed to their subjection. Crawford played like a hero. He, at anyrate, could carry the ball to the bye-line. But really it was Queen’s day for fatigue duty. They got medicine as well
