G Henderson 60
Match Information
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Tom Dougray (Bellshill)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Celtic directors know today that you cannot put a cabin boy into a skipper’s position. Joe Cassidy, their leader called off – his ankle injured. A young boy, McGee who hails from Corkerhill, was asked to full the gap. Any day but a Rangers’ day might have suited the lad, but the occasion was too big for him. It was one of the few tactical blunders which Parkhead directors make. I am not mincing words when I say that if Cassidy had had similar scoring opportunities in the first half to those which went to the boy who took his position, Celtic would have won the game before Rangers had found their feet. Latterly Rangers played with great confidence. They discovered that their opponents were mastered, and with that knowledge they did not hesitate to make the most of their opportunities. The moral is evident. Celtic have to find one or two players who will maintain a standard which they have themselves set. It used to be said that when Rangers and Celtic met the ‘Light Blues’ were the fellows who made the pace. I think it is a fact that in the old days Celts made a point of ‘holding’ their opponents for the first ten minutes or so. That was not the case yesterday. The attack came from Parkhead, and although it was short-lived, there was a scoring opportunity put up to Cassidy’s deputy. Morton caused McStay to concede a corner immediately after, and when Celts came to Robb’s end again, it was touch and go for Gallagher nodding one into the net. It was quite evident that Paddy knew where he wanted it to go, for he seemed quite surprised that the ‘onion bag’ didn’t contain something more than it did. Henderson gave Shaw a bit of trouble. The Arbroath man’s drive was almost value for a goal, although the Celt’s save was excellent. Rangers were always trying to emphasise a superiority which they seemed to think they possessed, but their goal was very near downfall when McLean taking the ball first time, fired one past Robb’s left hand post, which must have given the Tollcross man a shiver. More thrill followed. Henderson caused Shaw to give away another corner, and Charlie had to fist Morton’s flag-kick for another. Incidents such as these kept interest alive. Shaw’s chief trouble was Henderson, who was always dangerous. Seven minutes of the second half had gone when Henderson got through again. He drove a ball which seemed destined to get the net. Shaw seemed to be deceived, but the old Kirkintilloch bot brought off a wonderful one-handed save. Then we saw Gallagher chasing Muirhead, who by clever work had gone through on his own. The Celt won at the finish, and it was a wonderful tackle. With exactly 16 minutes of the second half, the only goal of the game arrived. The scorer was George Henderson, who had tried more frequently than his colleagues. He took the chance which blundering in the Celtic defence offered him, and Shaw had little or no chance to save. Henderson hits them hard. From that moment the Celts were beaten. Rangers had got the confidence they required, and they played as they can do when they have a lead. Now to the players. Shaw had much mor to do than Robb, and whether he wished to be a manager or not, the Parkhead goalkeeper take a lot of beating yet. Just as Shaw was the more severely tested, so were the Celtic backs, who stood up well to what must be recognised as the strongest forward line in the country. Alan Morton clever as he always is, got little change out of McStay. William of that ilk and Hilley stuck well into Archibald. Manderson and McCandless made few mistakes. Captain Cringan played as well as I have seen him do for many a day and he had a real good one at his left hand in McFarlane. The other McStay is still a wee bit crude, but willing. Muirhead was the cleverest of a Rangers trio and only mistake, I though was in over-doing things. Rangers’ forwards always moved with greater cohesion than the Celtic lot. They had a centre-forward with experience. Young McGee will come on, I hope. He has physique to aid him. Henderson will retain his place so long as he plays as he did yesterday. He got the goal. Archibald and Morton did well, but Cunningham and Cairns were carefully guarded, or they might have got more support from them. McLean was Celtic’s best forward. I think Adam was the cleverest attacker of the ten. Gallagher was good; McAtee not bad.
