Hendry >45
W Wylie
Match Information
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: H Humphrey (Glasgow)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
I think we all thought from the opening play that the game at Ibrox would turn out jam for Rangers. It turned out vinegar, and extra sour stuff at that. In fact, it wasn’t a pleasant game for anybody. Even the referee got on the nerves of the players and the crowd, some of whom would have been glad to ask him a few questions at the finish. Undoubtedly the gentleman in charge was unfortunate, not so much, perhaps in the rulings he gave as in those he withheld. He cheeked one player, and ignored another who was clearly a worse offender – the aggressor, indeed. Then there were two claims for penalties by Rangers, one of which seemed to be made with the very best of reasons. These things, however, could have been easily forgotten had the game gone through without further mishaps. Rangers finished without Lock, Gordon was a lame duck, and Duncan had been to the pavilion for repairs to one of his knees. It was a regular chapter of accidents for Rangers. The injuries were not all unavoidable. Aberdeen, it seemed to me, were keener in getting a point or two out of the game than the points were worth, not that we don’t want to see every them try their hardest, but it should stop at that. When the game opened Rangers’ forwards – with Hendry at outside left – swung into it merrily. During the first fifteen minutes that had the Aberdeen half-backs chasing them all over the place, and though these same half-backs did the chasing to excellent purpose, and Colman and Munro stood their ground boldly and well, it seemed only a matter of time for the Light Blues to be marking down their opening goal. Cairns was going straight in when he was grassed, which was Possible Penalty No 1. A shot by Logan was turned away just in time by Munro, Cairns again met a fine centre from Duncan and headed against the post when a goal looked certain – and so on and so forth. In between these Rangers; gallops the Aberdeen forwards thanks largely to their half-backs, who were always a big factor in the game, raided the Rangers’ goal. They raided in quite good style, too Soye sending across some nice centres, but still there was a looseness about the attack close on goal that did not promise great things. They could make scoring chances, but could make only a moderate shape at finishing them off. Once, however, Lock punched the ball away following a corner, and he had nothing to spare for Cail and Main were bothering him. Hereabout the Aberdeen attack was at its best so far as this half was concerned and it was as well for Rangers that Manderson and Pursell were good for some effective spoiling defence. Manderson was often responsible for checking Main and Wylie, and he did it in a fashion that showed there was nothing ‘green’ about him. ‘Twas coming on fir the interval when Gordon, in rushing in to get hold of a low return from Munro, overreached himself, and while he was being attended to Duncan was inspecting a bruised knee at the touchline. It was Duncan who went off, while Gordon changed to outside-right and Bowie to right-half. Rangers’ play became ragged, which was natural, and Aberdeen had one or two chances to score that were lost through lack of nippiness near goal. Rangers resumed without Duncan, who returned after the second half had lasted five minutes. He joined in some spirited right-wing play, which led up to the opening goal, although the scored was Hendry, on the left. Somehow I think Joe meant his scoring effort for a centre, but in any case, he took a good look at the goal before letting go, and the ball went across Greig’s guard and into the net beyond reach of his left hand. Gordon and Bowie, who had resumed their proper places, again exchanged. Gordon this time being inside to Duncan, and obviously in pain. Aberdeen were all defence for a little after the goal. Then they opened out again, Walker, their cleverest forward, showing them the way with some elusive dribbling, and the others responding to his lead in a hearty fashion. Also the Aberdeen halfs were holding the Rangers’ forwards well, and so there was quite an even look about the game when Rangers ran up against their worst misfortune. Cail and Walker had gone through the outfield defence, and had only Lock to beat. The goalkeeper stepped out and smartly punched the shot that came at him from close range. Before he could get out of the way Walker had collided with him and it was at once clear that Lock would play no more than day. Craig went between the posts, Pursell to left-back, Hendry to left half, and Logan to centre-half. Twenty-five minutes remained for play, and not until ten minutes from the end did Craig get a shot to deal with. Unfortunately for him, it beat him. Wylie the Aberdeen left-winger, shooting low and too fast for Craig to get down in time. But the game by this time had lost its importance, and it ran to a time conclusion. Except for the accidents that befell Rangers, they would have won but I imagine they would rather have lost than have all the trouble that met them. They have had more than their share of injures these last two matches. Manderson play at right back was an excellent feature of the Rangers’ game. It was the worst of luck for him that on one of the few occasions on which he was beaten the equalising goal should have resulted. Lock had little to do while he was on, and Craig less as the goalkeeper. Pursell got through a lot of useful defence, but Gordon was never the same after his injury. Hendry, as a left-winger, was good in a kind of way, but he was too much disposed to stand with the ball when he got a pass. So the benefit of a clear field was lost when he allowed the defence time, to come at him. He was like himself as a left half, but really with so much chopping and changing of the team in the course of the game it is impossible to deal seriously with the play. All I need to say it that they were good enough to have won bar accident. Aberdeen had merit even if inferior as a whole. Their defence was as sound as anything seen. Colman and Munro, behind three vigorous, hustling half-backs, would concede nothing. Colman we know, and a finished display from him is nothing new; but the younger player was not far behind. McLachlan, the cleverest of the halfs, marred a strong, effective display by what I might describe as intensified zeal. The Wyllie that is John was effectually watchful of Reid and Chatwin too every occasion to profit by Hendry’s slowness in getting a move on. No forward on the field was better than Walker. His control of the ball was masterly, and he showed us some delightful dribbling that often puzzled the Rangers’ defence. Some more nip in the attack and the Aberdeen line would be scoring some. Soye centred well, and he and Walker combined prettily at times. Wylie was quite a smart left-winger. The fault with Cail and Main was that they did not shoot often enough
