Sharp 35
G Henderson 42
Moreland 87
Match Information
Attendance: 18,000
Referee: JM Dickson (Glasgow)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Rangers seemed destined to scrape through against Albion Rovers at Ibrox then in the fourth last minute, the Coatbridge right wing pair dashed off. Robb left his goal, and while he was trying to pick up the ball Moreland got a boot to it. The leather squirmed past Ronn and Rovers’ centre was on it like a flash and an uninspiring encounter ended level. Rangers certainly made a sorry mess of things. They dominated the play throughout, but their long spell of aggressiveness only tented to emphasise the looseness of their forward play. Henderson failed to gather the ball, Morton accomplished a couple of clever touches late on, Cairns was quiet, while Cunningham and Archibald showed up best in the first half. The Ibrox half-backs defended stoutly, but they were anything but precise in their support. They repeatedly ballooned the ball, but this deficiency does not account for the lethargic and scrappy forward play. Penman and McColgan and their middle-men put in a grand afternoon’s work. The backs tackled gamely, and their clearances were as decisive as the ground passing of the half-backs was smart. But the middle trio particularly shone in breaking-up tactics. Britton was kept busy in the early stages, but most of the balls he received were volleyed from long range. Still, there was pith behind those fired in by Cairns and Muirhead. Tommy was on the target several times, but Britton was always ready. Cunningham’s leading out work was capital, while at least two of his cute up-the-centre passes should have been clinched by Henderson. The Rovers were seldom dangerous; still Bennie finished poorly when on three occasions he had a clear passage to try his luck. Twelve minutes before the interval Walls pushed the ball along the carpet to Moreland. The centre carried it as nicely and when challenged passed to Sharp, whose first-time drive beat Robb. Rangers put more ginger into their work now, and Meiklejohn and Muirhead almost counted before Archibald centred beautifully. Henderson’s head deflected the ball goalwards. Britton got his fingers to it, but his left-hand upright turned it into the net. Rangers were more determined after the interval, but they never settled down to an effective game. When fourteen minutes had gone, Cunningham seemed like going through. Penman, however, handles Andy’s shot. McCandless slammed the penalty against the crossbar. Britton made a futile effort to punch clear, and Dixon headed into the goal. Rangers were tuned up now. Cunningham missed by inches, Morton and Archibald made Britton’s fingers tingle, and Cairns had a hot shot blocked. But the Ibrox confederacy gradually tapered away again, and Moreland nearly squared the match before Robb made his vital mistake. Albion Rovers have a promising pivot in Moreland, He was their outstanding forward.
