Miller 30
McDermid 31
Shaw
Match Information
Attendance: 23,000
Referee: A Allan (Glasgow)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Those who have been saying that the Rangers are going back might have found some justification for such a statement when the rangers were two goals down to Aberdeen in early stages of the game at Ibrox. But they will admit that the home team were a trifle unlucky to be in arrears then, and at the finish the critics certainly would have found the feet swept from them by the splendid recovery made, and the well-deserved victory which the Rangers finally achieved. I wouldn’t care to say however, that the Rangers are the convincing side they were a couple of seasons ago. These is a weakness somewhere which they are endeavouring to discover, and perhaps the experiments they are making will reveal the real team one day soon. There were periods when they played delightful football. The forwards worked harmoniously together and there was always an effective understanding with the half-backs. What I thought was chiefly lacking was driving power on the part of McKay and Marshall, for Although both had good tried for goal – and the first-named got one – they were often beaten just before they got their final effort in. In comparison Aberdeen were not nearly such a sweet-moving team. They had a very moderate leader in their attack, for I have seldom seen John Miller so far out if a game. They did not make the most of their two-goal lead, and although the penalty given against them was severe punishment, they ought to have forced the game more in the second half with a strong breeze behind them. Instead of that the forwards lay back on their intermediate men, and the latter were too much inclined to put the ball out of play when they were pressed, and to kick it too far ahead when in the open. Taken throughout the piece it was an interesting game, and there was sufficient keenness all the time to keep the twenty odd thousand spectators interested. Alan Morton captained the Rangers’ side, and beat Bert McLachlan in the toss, thus being able to book the wind in his favour. A let-off. The Aberdonians had a bit of luck in the first couple of minutes, Fleming carried the ball to within a yard of the goal line and slipped it over. First Marshall, then Cunningham and finally Morton missed it, and when ultimately the ball was returned to the outside right, he shot wildly over. It was a trilling incident which stirred the crowd and made them ready to cheer the next effort of Morton’s which was a fast low drive into the side of the net. Rangers continued to press, but they could not get the ball past Blackwell, who was not very seriously troubled. He would have been, however, had a shot by Fleming not struck D Bruce, who was knocked down by the force behind the ball. The Aberdonians had one breakaway in the first ten minutes, and it came near to giving them a goal. Alec Reid’s fast shot skimming the bar. Marshall shot past close in, and the Pittodrie men had another run in on Hamilton. Here Smith sent over a nice ball which Bobbie Bruce put over. The Bruce! – Little Bruce went through on his own, not a defender coming to meet him. His shot, however, was a bad one. Hard lines! The Light Blues had very hard luck when Shaw slipped a ball in from Fleming’s corner kick, the ball striking a post and going past. Aberdeen had another go for a goal, and Reid charged Hamilton over the line for a corner, and another flag-kick followed from a soft shot by Miller. First goal! With twenty-eight minutes gone, Miller opened the scoring for Aberdeen. Hamilton failed to get a ball away, and the Pittodrie centre shot hard through. And a second! The ball was just kicked off from the centre when the visiting forwards went down to score again. Meiklejohn miskicked with no one near him, and McDermid beat the Rangers’ goalkeeper, who made a weak attempt to save. Penalty! Following right on the heels of this Rangers were awarded a penalty, McHale having been accounted to have deliberately handled the ball. Cunningham took the kick and scored. Clever play by Marshall gave Morton a scoring chance. Delay on the outside left’s part allowed a defender in, and the ball was ultimately cleared. The second half had a quiet beginning. The wind was troublesome, and Meiklejohn placed his goal in jeopardy when he again missed his kick. Rangers attacked with vigour and forced several corners in succession. Nothing accruing from these Cunningham had a couple of fine drives, one being charged down, and the other going over. The visitors were decidedly in luck round about this period. Well deserved! With seventeen minutes gone, Rangers got a well-merited equaliser. First a drive from Cunningham struck a post, and when the ball came out to McKay the inside right drove the ball past Blackwell. A grand save! Hamilton had a fine save from McDermid, who drove hard from half-a-dozen yards out. Shaw’s header! With almost twenty-five minutes of the second half gone, Rangers took the lead for the first time in the game. A corner was forced, and Shaw got Fleming’s kick with his head, Blackwell touching the ball as it passed him. Immediately following this Cunningham had a splendid shot, and Blackwell an equally fine save. Aberdeen got the ball through but offside was given against R Bruce. Prior to this Gray was injured but soon returned. Rangers had best of the play in the closing stages, but Aberdeen came very near to scoring just as the final whistle went. Both goalkeepers were well tested during the game, and while Blackwell seemed to be caught napping with Shaw’s header, some of the men in front of him were not faultless on this occasion. Hamilton was not so confident as I have seen him, and I think he was slightly at fault when the goals were scored against him. For both, however, I will say this, they had brilliant clearances on other occasions. Hutton and Gray shared the honours at back, although burly Jock found Morton and Cunningham difficult to understand at times. Weir did very well, but I was not impressed by the play for D Bruce. In the intermediate lines, Craig, Shaw and McLachlan were outstanding. Meiklejohn took a long time to find his game but was doing well at the finish. Neither McHale nor Edward struck me as being of the highest class. There was nothing to compare with the Morton-Cunningham wing, which probably accounts for the weakness of Edward. The inside man was most unselfish in his attentions to Morton, who played as good a game as he has done this season. McKay and Fleming did much that was clever, and Marshall is coming on. He has one or two things to learn yet, but these will come in time. Had Reid got more of the ball he might have been the greatest menace to the Ibrox defence. But he didn’t get many opportunities but those that came his way were made the most of R Bruce was good and bad by turns, and McDermid and Smith were a bit behind the Rangers left wing pair
