J Smith
B McPhail 80
Match Information
Attendance: 40000
Referee:
Matchday: Wednesday
Match Trivia
British Championship - Rangers won the first round in the battle of the League champions at Ibrox yesterday, and I might as well say right away that there was seldom any doubt about the outcome. As a matter of fact, I was more than a trifle disappointed with the Arsenal. Roughly, 37,000 people saw the match. In no department could the Highbury men claim to be superior. Miss in goal maybe took the eye a lot more than Dawson, but then that was because he had lots more work to do. The greasy ground had to be taken into account, of course, and it was here that Rangers showed themselves much the superior lot. They mastered the skidding ball. The Arsenal men, and the half-backs in particular, could never kill it. They required too much time to get the ball under control. That, of course, made it much easier for the Ibrox half-backs, all three of whom were well on their game. Meiklejohn gave him colleagues the lead here in the early stages. His anticipation was splendid, and he spread the play about. Simpson too, was a big factor, and besides being an effective stopper, he often let the forwards away with accurate long passes. After the adverse reports I had heard about George Brown, I was immensely pleased to see him some well into the game. Indeed, I would place him as the best of the line, and not far short of the best on the field. I am taking the half-backs first, you will observe, because it was from this department that Rangers superiority sprang. Roberts was little better than a centre full back. He seemed content when he got rid of the ball, not always to advantage either. John could place the ball better when he had it but had to stop it first. Hill was the best of the line, but even the little Aberdeen man fell a good bit short of the Ibrox standard. Forward, Nicholson was Rangers number man. He wasnt afraid to mix things, and he varied his moves. He had Crompton on toast most of the time, and he was well value a goal. Main, on the other wing, wasnt nearly so good, except in the last few minutes he mistimed a lot of his passes but Stevenson, Smith and McPhail were lively attackers. McPhail was the strong, forcing forward, Stevenson a bog of tricks, and in between Smith never spared himself. There wasnt really a big man in the Arsenal front line. James often showed the touch of the master, but his work in the aggregate never led anywhere. Jack is still an artist on the ball the old head was always evident. But Anno Domini is telling its tale on him. He was slow ar times. The wet ball was too much for Bowden and Coleman. Neither of them ever really got the hang of things. Bastin, I liked the best of the lot, but he was never played to as he should have been. This boy, whom o saw as an inside forward with Exeter City, know how to cut in and he can shoot, too. Hapgood was a good, solid back of the old type we dont see enough of now, but Compton wasnt so dependable. Moss, I have mentioned already. He was a grand goalkeeper, fit enough for a big cap. The Rangers rear men were always sound. Gray and McDonald both tackled and kicked well, and Dawson did what little he had to do in first-rate style. Rangers took the lead in the thirty-sixth minute. Nicholson cleverly rounded Compton, worked in, and shot. The ball struck the bottom of the post and came out to Smith, who promptly smacked it into the net. Before that it had been mostly Rangers with Nicholson the outstanding raider, and they almost scored through McPhail, whose header gave Moss a lot of difficulty. Eleven minutes before the goal was scored Meiklejohn was off hurt but returned after five minutes. In his absence, however, Arsenal all but went ahead. Coleman chased a long ball to the right and swung it over to the middle. It looked odds on Bastin scoring, but Dawson, with a superhuman effort, got a grip of the ball and cleared. Dawson saved another header from Jack before the interval, but at the cross-over Rangers were well worth their lead, and with the restart they took a former grip of the game. It was here that Moss showed himself a great keeper. Once he put a great McPhail header over the bar, and later he brought off a wonderful save from Nicholson in the far top corner of the posts. Four minutes from the end, however, Moss was beaten for a second time. From Nicholson the ball travelled to Main on the other wing, a pass which Nicholson several times exploited to advantage, and the outside right parted to McPhail, who brought the ball under control and smashed it low into the net. Moss had no chance
