Parker 40
Goodwin >45
Match Information
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: J Lyons (Hamilton)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
If the Rangers did not quite touch that high standard of play which carried them from success to success earlier in the season, their team, even without Hogg, Bowie and Reid proved more than good enough for Aberdeen. Indeed, the two goals margin which divided the sides at the finish does not give one a real idea of how much the winners were superior, even when it is admitted that the Northern side threw away at least one scoring chance before Greig’s charge fell for the first time. successfully with everything that came their way, but their task was light by comparison with that one set Colman and Hume. Without being brilliant the ex-Hibernian made a very promising debut, but Colman, if his kicking at times was deficient in weight, was the start artist of the quartette. Hume also made a fine stand. Lock had few chances to disclosing his powers, but Greig had many, and made the most of them. He is a grand custodian In these early stages the men of Pittodrie, without displaying any method to speak of, contrived by an expenditure of much hard work and ceaseless running to keep play moving for the greater part in Rangers territory. They found themselves often well placed, nut their finishing generally was of the crudest possible description. Even McIntosh, who made a praiseworthy effort to keep the attack moving in unison, failed badly in this scoring connection, when he refused to cap with a goal perhaps the only perfect centre delivered by Soye during the afternoon. The extreme right often made ground, and parted with the ball in what on the surface seemed the most approved fashion. But to the less superficial observer it was patent that these crossed almost invariably lacked power, with the result that more often than not they were picked up by an Ibrox defender. But it was a poor Aberdeen attack when all is said and done. Walker and Wood on occasion exhibited pretty footwork, and now and then placed accurately to either extreme, but neither was threstful or pushful enough to prevail against a Rangers’ defence, of which it might truly be said, and more so in the latter stages, that it enjoyed something like a picnic. Soye’s failing, already alluded to, neutralised most of his good work further out, while neither Miller nor Wilson, who in turn essayed to fill the place of absent Lennie showed the least aptitude for the position. But indifferently as the attack shaped, it is just possible that five more talented players would not have done much better in the circumstances. Wylie is a breaker up or nothing in the intermediate line, and little play of a constructive character is expected from him. Many good teams can afford to carry a player of this description and be materially helped by him to attain much success, but to bring this about the wing halves must work in concert with their forwards. In a defensive sense not a word can be said against Davidson, Wilson or Miller. All three, and Wylie of course, plugged into the light, and for the last hour elusive Rangers vanguard, as if the fate of a nation depended on the vigour of their efforts, but all three also parted with the ball without giving the location of their forwards the least consideration. Was it possible in these circumstances for the attack to succeed? How different things were on the other side. It failed for the reason that the forwards did not get into the hang of things for half an hour or so, to distinguish itself right away. That was no fault of Gordon, Galt and Hendry though. Besides doing all the spoiling necessary each seemed to know to intuition who in the attack best placed. Much of their brainy play was lost for a time. But it was like the casting of the bread on the water, for latterly they had the satisfaction of playing behind forwards whose sweet moving put the somewhat depressed Rangers supporters once more on the best of terms with themselves. Apparently nervous to being with, Paterson failed to centre just as well he might, but once Parker got his head to a short ball from him, and placed it against the off upright, from which it glanced into the net, the son of the manse, splendidly attended to by Goodwin, played real clever football. Hogg’s juggling and power were missed, still the youth, who in build is the very antithesis of the burly Englishman, made a first rate substitute. Parker’s success came six minutes before the interval, and nineteen minutes after the second half had been embarked on, Goodwin sent home another of his partner’s crosses which was grounded for him by the old Ashfield centre. Thus to the reserve players fall the honour of all the scoring. Parker, if not so nippy or fast as Reid, nevertheless made a first rate appearance in the centre. Besides his goal he had another fine short run and grand shot, which just missed its mark. This effort showed him at his best. If neither Bennett nor Smith scored it need not be inferred that they did not bulk largely in the game. Both were immense. Their footwork was delightful, while the understanding between the twain was well-nigh perfect. The veteran has probably never played better. What a fusillade that was he initiated on the Aberdeen goal midway through the closing half. Greig saved three or four great shots at this period, and on another occasion Hume sprung up from somewhere or other and cleared on the goal line when his custodian was beaten. In criticising the respective defences one must take into consideration the different calibre of the opposing forwards. Campbell and Sam Allan were capable of dealing
