McLelland
Nicholson
Match Information
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: R Innes (Glasgow)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Getting their chance, Queen’s Park took it. More than that, they took it in a way that was both workmanlike and clever. On the run of the play, pure and simple, they were not two goals the better side, but the more open methods of their forwards were always likely to produce results when the closer style of the Ibrox front line was leading to nothing. It was sound policy for the amateurs’ defence – half-backs as well as backs – not to venture far from their goal. Naturally, the Rangers’ half-backs took to more forcing methods, especially when they were seeking to reduce the leeway in the score, and this often gave the lively Hampden raiders a chance to pick up one of the many long passes and make ground rapidly without interference. Needless to say, the loses suffered by the absence of Meiklejohn, Muirhead and Morton, for although Simpson and Osborne did quite well in a defensive way, the quality of team play was greatly impaired Chalmers was out of his element. It is not often we see four goals in a game where there is so little goalkeeping. But that was the kind of game it was – long periods of inactivity by Harkness and Hamilton, and then, on the part of the QP forwards in particular, a quick open swoop and chances taken. For some twenty minutes the game was a bit ragged, with the amateurs the more pushful, but shooting badly. Then Nicholson won a tackle with Gray, and sent the ball through to McLelland, who was unmarked. He ran on a bit, and shot a fine goal, the pace of the ball quite beating Hamilton. Up till then the Rangers’ forwards had been completely unsettled, but they got down to their work and were attacking hard when Crawford got a long pass. He kept the ball under splendid control and made a lot of ground before centring. Nicholson had followed up, and he met the ball on his head Some yards from goal and completed a dashing movement by scoring. This was after half an hour, and it made the Rangers put more life into their attack. Cunningham and McPhail came near scoring before a close passing run by the three inside men enabled McPhail to beat Harkness a minute from the interval. In the first minute of the second half Hamilton had a great save from Chalmers, but for half an hour afterwards Rangers were all out for the equaliser, and it almost seemed as if the Queen’s Park defence was going to crack. Archibald was supplying the driving force, and more than once Harkness’ goal escaped with nothing to spare. Then there happened just exactly what was always likely to occur. Russell sent the ball through to McLelland, who transferred to Chalmers, who was unattended. The little inside right kept his head, ran in, and shot with nice judgment, the ball going into the net away from Hamilton. That settled it. To Queen’s Park half-backs much of the credit of the win is due. Gillespie was a spoiler all the time, and both McDonald and Russell recovered well. Campbell had not much difficulty with Chalmers. While the forwards finished badly at times, they were always capable of developing a dangerous attack. McLelland can shoot. Both wings did their part well. Rangers never struck their right game. There was too much right wing caused by the weakness of the left, and the gaps left in defence were fatal. It was a good sporting match.
