Meiklejohn 30
S Archibald 37
Match Information
Attendance: 35,000
Referee: P Craigmyle (Aberdeen)
Matchday: Wednesday
Match Trivia
Although it took Rangers half-an-hour to get in front, there never was the remotest chance of the Coatdyke side snatching a victory. So completely were the Rovers outplayed that the final whistle must have come as relief to the players and supporters alike. Britton may have made mistakes in goal – indeed, he seemed to muddle all four counting shots – but it would be unfair to make him a scapegoat. He found himself in a very moderate company. Indeed, the goalkeeper has my sympathy. Four goals did not unduly inflate the Rangers’ superiority; throughout the second half it was a matter of playing out time and waiting to see how many balls would be slashed into Albion’s net. Not one of the Cliftonhill divisions was on anything like the same level with the winners. Method was thrown to the winds. Beside being overrun, the half-backs were loose in their placing, and the attack proved to be bad foragers. Willie Reid waited patiently on those forward passes that made him dreaded when he was a Ranger, but he waited in vain. From this you can rightly conclude that there were few thrills. Happily, the ‘Light Blues’, with one exception, were in their brightest mood, and their frills kept the crowd in good humour. Morton and Cairns struck up a bright partnership; some of Allan’s dazzling runs in the second half were extra special. Cunningham’s return seemed to make all the difference to his confreres. There was a ring of confidence in the movements of the forwards, and had Henderson been able to make use of half the openings a cricket score might have been registered. Penman and McColgan struck out manfully, but they were terribly overburdened. Rangers found some difficulty in breaking the ice, but once Meiklejohn did the trick it was plain sailing afterwards. It was a lovely goal, shot from 30 yards out. Britton dived for the ball, but instead he allowed it to slip under his outstretched body over the line. Seven minutes later Archibald fired in another ‘grounder’, and again it seemed as if the custodian had time to scrape clear. A two goals lead at the interval was well merited by the Rangers, and the second portion had not been long in progress before it was patent that nothing short of a miracle could save the Rovers. Thirteen minutes sufficed to put the result beyond doubt. After one of his tricky runs Morton sent over a ball from the touch-line, which Britton allowed to drop over his head. Next minute Henderson was clear away, but he hesitated, and the goalkeeper came out and cleared. A little later came one of the few thrills of the game. Morton dashed along the wing, cut into goal, and drove like lightning from ten yards out. Assisted by the crossbar, Britton turned the ball, and while the defenders stood as if mesmerized, Alan again fastened on, and from almost the by-line crashed the ball in again. Britton got his hand on the leather but could not hold it.
