Fleming 40
Red Cards
McInally sent off
Match Information
Attendance: 60,000
Referee: William Bell (Motherwell)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
After 90 minutes of what never failed to be exciting football, Rangers turned the scales that Celtic had weighted against them last week. Just as were the Celtic deserving of victory on that occasion, so were the Rangers yesterday. It is true that a goal – and, at that, one under dispute – divided the teams, but another goal margin would have been no injustice to the Celts. Unfortunately, the spirit of last week’s final was not in evidence, and play waged rough, and ended in the ordering off of McInally in the second half. Feeling ran very strong even before Fleming notched his all-important goal, and the referee’s task was no easy one. The inclusion of Muirhead in the Rangers’ team made a vast difference to the play of the forwards, beside strengthening up the half-back line. Meiklejohn made no mistake about McGrory, and it was seldom indeed that the centre was left with the opportunities that came his way last week. This put a check on the Celtic, but it did not account for all. Wilson and McFarlane had up against them two lively Rangers’ wings, and so busy were they that their forwards suffered. That was the crux of the matter – the rival half-back lines. The opening stages favoured the Rangers, and once again it was Thomson who saved them with panther-like jumps and a safe pair of hands. But there was more ‘go’ about the Blues on this occasion, and the keeper came in for some hard knocks in the process of his work. Thomson was not the only Celt to shine in this battering period. The two McStay’s, McGonnigle, and even Thomson and McInally, were McInally, were heroic in their efforts to stem the flowing Ibrox tide. They were under some pressure. The crossbar and the uprights stopped more than one effort – one of McPhail’s comes immediately into mind – and it must frankly be said that Celtic were lucky not to be a goal down before they actually were – six minutes from the end of the first half. Cunningham had tried one of his famous Left-footers, and it slithered off a defender right to the toe of Fleming, who was standing close to the goal-line, and it was comparatively easy for him to turn it past Thomson. There was a massed protest for off-side, and while a personal opinion was that Fleming was right enough, it was close enough to brook of doubt. The second half saw the Rangers riding the high horse, but there as a great deal of life left in the Celtic. McGrory, first, and then McLean, did all that was humanly possible to keep the Parkhead spirits up. In the final quarter-of-an-hour McLean was beating all and sundry, and tearing in with tremendous shots that were sometimes very close. Still, Hamilton had comparatively little to do throughout the game, and he rarely was troubled with those melees in front of goal that Thomson found so dangerous. Most of the direct shots came from long range. Just as Rangers looked and felt a beaten team the week previous, so were the Celtic. They tried hard for the equaliser, but it always looked a forlorn hope, with the goal more likely to come at the other end. Noe for a few incidents in the play. Rangers won the toss, and after honour had been done to the memory of Mr George Small, Celtic kicked off. Rangers put on the screw right away, and craig tested Thomson with a long one. This was followed by clever Celtic play on the left, which led nowhere. Then McLean was fouled, and after the free had been cleared McFarlane belted one wide. Connolly was the first Celt to get in a shot at Hamilton, but this was cleared, and then Fleming and Meiklejohn had tried at the other end. And then a colossal movement by Rangers. McPhail let one fly. It smacked the bar, and from the rebound Fleming sent in another that a back blocked, and then the ball went by. This great offensive nearly brought a goal. Celtic hopes were raised when McLean from a poor clearance by Meiklejohn sent one true for the corner of the net, which Hamilton saved for a corner. Thomson was made a wonderful leap to save an Archibald cross, and then Fleming was left with an open goal minutes later and just missed to connect. Rangers were the aggressors with a vengeance, and Celtic raids were few and far between. In one of them McLean had rather a good try at Hamilton, but it was not really dangerous. Six minutes from the interval Rangers scored. Cunningham worked his way for a shot, which went part of the way when Fleming put his foot to it and left Thomson without an earthly chance. There were strong protests from all the Celtic team that Fleming was offside, but the referee was in no two minds. Stung by this, McGrory tore off, and only a splendid save by Hamilton prevented the centre’s shot from finding the top corner of the net. Thus ended a first half that lacked nothing in thrills and incident. The second half opened with a Rangers’ move on the right, and this was followed by an attack on the Rangers’ citadel by Connoly, and then in a flash it was transferred to Fleming, who let fly at goal from a range that gave Thomson plenty of time to position himself. A foul to the Rangers on the fringe of the penalty area started a row that had as its upshot the ordering off of McInally. Cunningham took the kick, and lobbed it into the goalmouth, where Fleming was adjudged offside. Then came from this a tousy tussle between Cunningham and Wilson, and in straightening this out with the referee, McInally received his orders. After this there was some trouble at the Celtic end of the enclosure, but the speedy arrival of the police quelled any trouble that may have been brewing. With only ten men, Celtic put the pace to a cracker, and with the Rangers it developed into safety tactics, and an occasional brisk dash up the centre by Fleming or on the wing by Archibald and Morton. McLean was desperately in earnest when he beat Gray and sent in a lob that was just too hard. So was he when offside spoiled a great effort. Yet again did the dainty Parkhead winger try his foot. This time he connected a Conolly cross but was wide. McLean tried another long-range shot, but after that Rangers were not seriously troubled. First and foremost, in praising the winners I must mention the half-back. Without their improvement things would not have gone as they did. Muirhead was obviously not quite sure of himself and did not fling himself into a tackle, but his feet were not impaired, and his distributing was that of an expert. Craig was as different as chalk from cheese on his previous showing and went into the fray with more abandon – I fancy he was a much fitter man. Meiklejohn made himself felt in the middle. He was a staunch defender. A sprightly van stood in front of this tower of strength. Morton and Archibald were in their element, while Fleming, in the centre, was more dangerous than his vis-a-vis McGrory. Cunningham and McPhail got through a heavy afternoon’s work and were ever on the spot for a pot at goal – at which both excel. The backs opened none too surely, but McCandless, and later Gray, got set on their feet, and met all calls, as did Hamilton further behind. Celtic’s goalkeeper gave another sound display, and W McStay and McGonnigle, much overworked, came out of the fray creditably. James McStay was the only one of the half-backs to shine, although less free to press the game, was one of the Celtic successes. Wilson and McFarlane found themselves up against hot stuff, and they were at times subdued, and kept to defensive tactics. The forwards were ably led by McGrory, but the star was McLean, perhaps the best winger on the field, and a sore thorn to Gray. McInally, prior to his dismissal, had shown some delightful touched, but both Connoly and Thomson seemed working under a cloud. McInally was sent off after 61 minutes
