A Cunningham 8, 49
J Paterson 79
Match Information
Attendance: 76,000
Referee: Willie Bell (Hamilton)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Those who are agitating against the shilling gate or bob football, as it has been called would extract few crumbs of comfort from Saturdays spectacle at Ibrox Park, where a record crowd turned out to see Celtic and Rangers in their first League encounter of the season. Long ere the hour fixed for the kick-off, the already well-filled and spacious enclosure presented a pretty appearance, and before three oclock money was being refused for admission to the grand stand. Truly King Football rules more subject now than ever he did. It was not a great match. There were few thrills, but their absence was compensated for by the strenuous nature of the contest. Every man jack went into his work as if the fate of a nation depended upon his individual efforts. As often happens when Scotlands two greatest rivals meet, the glorious uncertainty of the game was demonstrated. Celtic, who have been splaying pretty combined, and effective football since the season started, were expe4cted to win, but the boot was on the other leg. An enthusiastic, whole-hearted Ibrox eleven, which contained two experimental placings, won handsomely by three goals to nothing, and thus a toned in a measure for their Glasgow Cup defeat at Parkhead on September 6. As I prepared you for on Saturday morning, the form club went down at Ibrox Park. The Celts were beaten, and beaten well, in the race for the League Flag by a team that was ever so much their inferior in the Glasgow Cup semi-final six or seven weeks ago. Of such are those meetings of the Old Firm. One never knows what will happen. In the end the Light blues were well worthy their 3 to 0 victory, but although they led by a Cunningham goal at the interval, up till then they were not the better side4. Indeed it was only after the big fair-haired Ayrshire forward - in the centre for the day put them further ahead that they took thorough command. After that the Celts struggled on in a kind of way to put a better complexion on affairs, but their first-half confidence had deserted them. Their more methodical and prettier game of the opening stage was knocked on the head by another of a more robust description by their opponents. The play of the Parkhead crowd had not the punch of that of Ibrox rivals, hence the result. When Mr Wilton told me that Archie Ritchie was unable to strip, and that Gordon would take up the left back position, I could not help thinking that this was not at all a bad arrangement for the Rangers. In my minds eye I saw a picture of McAtee and Gallagher toying with the Dumbarton back in the cup game at Parkhead. Andy and Patsy did not toy with Gordon at Ibrox, JE rattled in on both like a miniature avalanche, Walls followed suit, and Manderson, Bowie and Dixon were always there or thereabouts. The strong, stick-at-nothing work of this Rangers rear quintette began the breaking up of the Celts which Andrew Cunninghams second goal virtually completed. To Doctor Paterson belongs most of the credit of the first point which came along eight minutes after the start. The Doc, who was moving, oh so sweetly on the left, getting the ball from Cairns slipped it in just as he shown, and a series of misses followed before Cunningham came on to send it home. I heard some folks say that Cunningham was offside. There was not the slightest suggestion of Andrew being out of play. While this early Ibrox success did not put the Celts out, it bucked the Rangers wonderfully. It was just the tonic they required. It spurred them on to go in and win. All the same, I feel that had the League championships counted first my tale would have been different this morning. Before and after scoring of this early goal much of the Celtic play was delightful. McMenemy, the master mind of the attack, and Gallagher in a lesser degree, kept the ball going nicely, McAtee and Adam McLean centred very well, but none of the lot shot hard enough or often enough. Occasionally they hesitated, too; and to do so in this hard-fought-out and strenuous rather pretty contest was fatal. It was truly a case of no waiting, no delay. If not the, by comparison, well-oiled machine the Celtic attack were, the Rangers five were quite as often dangerous; indeed, but for Cairns getting in the way they might have got another goal. Shaw and Lock both dealt smartly with a few good balls, but neither was tested as often as he should. A goal down only at the interval, the Celts were not out of the hunt by any means. Lock was called on right away, first Cassidy and then Cringan shot over; then the second goal and a Rangers victory! The half was only four minutes old, when Archibald from the corner flag almost, slashed a ball across; Cunningham jumped up for it, but Shaw got there first. Charleys clearance was not decisive enough, however, and Cunningham up again, got his cranium on this time. There is little use dwelling on what happened during the next half-hour. The Celts stuck in right manfully, but to all intents and purpose the points were safe in the Rangers pockets. It did not require Patersons lovely goal to decide the issue. The doctors grand oblique shot beat Shaw all the way. It was a thing of beauty. His spectacular goal apart, I reckon Paterson the best forward afield his elusive footwork, and centring were delightful. Jamie McMenemy told me at the close that he could see nothing to beat Cairns, but with all due respect to the great Celt, I repeat that I preferred the doctor on the day. At the same time, Tommy never did better. He kept boring in, and gave Gilchrist and Alex McNair no rest. Cairns is a sticker if ever there was one. Muirhead was a worker all the time; if Andrew Cunningham was not a great centre-forward he was a worrying one, and he got two goals. Archibald, only fair in the first half, improved later on. The physically well-endowed Fifer does not yet get the ball across as smartly as he should. Take a tip from the doctor, Alex. Immediately behind the line stood as resolute trio as ever did duty for the Rangers, with Gordon out of the three this may seem strange reading, but it is a fact just the same. And Bowie was the ick of the bunch. By the way, Jamies summing up of the game is a trifle different from mine. His verdict is The Celts were beaten before we were midway through the opening half. Further back, nothing was given away; indeed to my way of thinking, Manderson and Gordon were more convincing than McNair and McStay. Alex was as crafty and safe as Manderson was impetuous and successful. The breezy and speedy Irishman is playing better than ever. Gordon was not an orthodox back. JE had a way of his own of doing things, and very much oftener than not he got there. Lock did nothing wrong, and only the charge than can be laid against Shaw id that he didnt get away more decisively that Archibald cross, which brought about the middle goal; Cringan was the best of the Celtic half-back line, which lacked power on the wings. What a lot of work Willie put in. As I have already indicated McMenemy and Gallagher were the best of the forwards, even if Patsy seemed a bit more subdued than usual. McInally did some really smart things in the first half, but he was too well watched to get doing any damage; and he enjoyed little luck. McLean; who I thought, should have scored once, was not particularly happy with his centres. McAtee; who started fairly bright, was well held by Walls after the interval
