A Bennett 10
W Reid 42
Match Information
Attendance: 14,000
Referee: T Robertson (Glasgow)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
I ran against the Raith Rovers and Rangers managers almost at the same moment in the ‘alloway’ between the stripping rooms at Stark’s Park. ‘We’re playing just as advertised’, cheerily chirped Mr Richardson, ‘and expect to do well. We were most unlucky to be beaten at Dundee last week’. ‘Joe Hendry has cried off’, remarked Mr Wilton in his most matter-of-fact tone. ‘How are you getting out of the difficulty’? ‘That’s easy. Alex Bennett is on the spot. He will partner Paterson, the ex-Newcastle United right wing will be revived, Bowie will play right half, and Galt will take Hendry’s place on the other side of the field. That formation should work all right’. And it did. When I left Glasgow I did not bargain to have the pleasure of seeing Stewart and Scott Duncan associated. It was a treat none the less appreciated, because it was unexpected. I saw Duncan play a fine game at Greenock some weeks ago, but until Saturday I never a peep at his English International partner. Right off the reel Stewart remained me of poor James Miller of happy memory. He lies over the ball in much the same fashion as the old Ayrshire ‘Light Blue’ did. Stewart has one fault – when robbed of the ball he is beaten. You understand my meaning. Unlike Bowie, he does not attempt to recover, but prefers rather to wait for the opportune moment to initiate another movement. But he seldom lost it at Kirkcaldy. His footwork was exceptionally clever – bewildering at times – and his many brainy passes to his wing man, like the few sent along to Reid, were accuracy itself. Supported thus, it is little wonder that Scott Duncan improved on all his previous showings on this side of the border. The old Dumbarton boy in this match was in my opinion, the idea extreme wing forward. No useless elaboration for him. Get in your centre as often and as quickly as you can is his motto. Mind you, Duncan did not let go in every instance, as if the ball were a red-hot brick. On occasion by trying a shot on his own. He sent over the bar once or twice, but never did he kick blindly against an onrushing back or half-back. From one of his many lovely crosses the first goal accrued, when the game was sixteen minutes old. Bennett was the marksman. Without considering the consequence he volleyed the ball for all he was worth, and - it found a lodgement in the net. Neish was dumfounded, and I can assure you that the scorer was mildly surprised at least. It was one of those happy-go-lucky shots that might have gone anywhere. This goal had a far-reaching influence on the subsequent proceedings. It served to steady the Rangers, who stood much less in need of steadying than their opponents. It had the opposite effect on the Rovers, whose play up till this time had been of the checkmating description mostly. With Bowie playing right half-back like a Gordon almost, with Galt mastering his wing and keeping the ball fairly well on the floor, and Logan, at his very best, acting the part of a veritable destroyer, it was a case of very much Rangers and very little Rovers. Yet goals were hard to get. The Raith defence did not impress me much, still grafters all, they were difficult to get round. Harry Anderson, although I have seen him do better, was the most useful half-back, for the reason that in addition to playing his part in the defence, he made many laudable, if unsuccessful, attempts to get his forwards going. But if less clever, Logan and McLay had the useful knack of chipping in at the right moment. Time after time Reid was sharply brought up by one or other, or by Winning. The Rangers centre-forward was bound to get through, and two minutes from the interval he did. In the course of his journey to Neish, who was helpless to save, Anderson and Morrison were tackled and rounded. This was a characteristic Reid goal. Midway through the closing half Scott Duncan finished the scoring. His two-feet high sharp shot from 15 yards’ range just squeezed through inside the near upright. As I already indicated, the Rovers, save in a defensive way and for an occasional spasmodic short spell of attacking, had seldom ben in the picture. But now they call away in earnest, and right to the finish almost kept Campbell and Muir working. Twice miskicks by JL Logan almost gave them the goal their own forwards were incapable of scoring. Waugh and Anderson wrought like Trojans, but neither – and Waugh especially – had any luck. They pressed much, but Hempsey was not unduly harassed. I should liked to see the Rovers get the goal their plucky rally entitled tem to, still the Fifer’s’ best friend cannot say they were in the same class as their conquerors in ant position, save at goal, right back, left half-back, and inside left. Raith were unfortunate perhaps in being a called on to face the Rangers so soon after that Celtic defeat. Somebody had to suffer. The Rangers’ forwards play was delightful. I have already eulogised Stewart. You can place Bennett in the same category. Paterson, if slower to take up the pass than usual, and not nearly so effective as Duncan, displayed many clever touches. This young son of the manse has slipped back a bit. Reid missed Bowie’s forward passes, still he did well. His goal and another unsuccessful dash, just before the close, were worth going a long way to see. Neish stopped this last grand rush just on the goal line. Next to Waugh Cranston, if often defiant in judgment, was the best Kirkcaldy forward. JL Logan blotted out Porter, and Scott could make little of Bowie and Campbell. The job was too big for the comparatively inexperienced ex-Kirkintilloch Rob Roy and Petershill youngster. I have never seen Muir – what a beautiful kicker he is - do better for the Rangers. The former St Bernard back’s tackling was nipper than usual, and he seems to be getting speed. Campbell was the best back afield, however, ‘R G’, who was always on the spot, never turned a hair. On the other side, Morrison was worried by Duncan and Stewart. His kicking was poor, and Winning’s was none to good either. The ex-Petershill man, however, made amends by the excellence of his tackling. But big kicking is not the only quality required by a back. Winning put in a rare afternoon’s work.
