McMahon 55
Davidson 68
Turnbull
H McCreadie 86
Match Information
Manager: No Permanent Manager
Attendance: 14,000
Referee: Mr Aitken (St Mirren)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
This League match played on Ibrox Park, attracted some 14,000 spectators notwithstanding boisterous weather. The Rangers won the toss and played with the wind, which was very strong, in their favour. Davidson set the ball in motion. After some play in midfield McMahon and Campbell initiated a run, but Gow stepped in, and got the ball away, passing it down the right, when it found its way to Turnbull, who sent in a swift high shot, which went wide of the mark. A miss-kick by Drummond nearly cost the Rangers a goal. After a few minutes the excitement grew intense as each team attacked in turn, and there was some fine kicking by Drummond and Doyle. The Rangers had a pretty bit of passing right up the field, but Kerr slipped at the critical moment. Fast play ensued, and Campbell and McMahon forced Gow to concede a corner. Campbell took the kick, and McMahon by a grand effort, headed the ball past, amidst great excitement. Many thought the ball had gone through, and certainly the effort was worthy of a point. The game gave early indications of being fast and well contested. The Rangers had one or two brilliant runs, and Doyle was loudly cheered for some fine saving. A pass by McCreadie to D McPherson nearly took effect, and then the Celts, by beautiful passing, transferred the ball to the Rangers quarters, when Drummond relieved by a brilliant overhead kick. The Rangers returned to the attack, and the right wing were busy round Cullen, and the Celts backs had to concede a corner which came to nothing. The Rangers were playing in much better form than had been expected, and but for Herculean efforts on the part of their opponenets backs they must assuredly have scored. Of course the wind was a great factor in their favour. A foul given against the Celts for tripping Kerr, and the ball was sent through, but did not touch anybody. The Celts halfbacks were feeding their forwards very well, but Davidson could make little headway against Drummond, who was in fine form, and has clearly developed into one of the best backs in the country. The Rangers were putting in an immense amount of work, and their forwards getting well down, a shot was sent into Cullen, who caught the ball in his hands, and Cleared in the cleverest possible manner amidst loud cheering. A perfect storm of wind swept across the field, rendering good play very difficult. The Celts tried hard to make headway; Drummond was the greatest obstacle, the old Falkirk back’s tackling and returns being exceedingly fine and well judged. From a foul the Rangers had a grand chance to score, but failed. A corner followed, but H McCreadie failed to judge the wind, and the ball never reached the players. From a foul taken by Doyle near goal and returned by Reynolds, Campbell headed to McMahon, who narrowly missed screwing it into goal. From a slip by Reynolds, H McCreadie had a clear field, and amidst excitement he made off, passing to the right at the proper time. However, Doyle was there, and stepping in took the ball from Turnbull. Keeping up the attack, the Rangers forced two corners, but they were of little advantage to them. W Maley was working very hard to relieve the continued pressure on his side, but his passes were not taken up in the way they should have been by the new right wing. Right up to halftime the Rangers, with the wind, had decidedly the best of the play, but they failed to improve it, and at halftime neither side had scored.
With the wind in their favour in the second half, it was fully expected that the Celts would win. After dome stiff tussles in midfield, the Rangers forwards, by dashing determined play, forced their way into the Celts quarters, and looked like scoring. The Celts replied in brilliant fashion, and had Fitzsimmons been far enough in he might have headed the ball through from a pass from the left. The Rangers were having the best of it so far, the efforts of Campbell and McMahon to get away being well held in check by the opposing backs. The Rangers forwards were playing and passing very well. Cullen had to rush out to save his charge, and in doing so collided with Kerr, who was sent to the ground, but immediately recovered. A corner followed, but it came to nothing. Andrew McCreadie was showing dashing form at centre half for the Rangers, and repeatedly led the attack, but all to no purpose. After ten minutes play the Celts forwards got away in a body, and from a pass from the right, McMahon shot the ball through, scoring the first goal for the Celts – and indeed the first goal of the match – amid a wild scene of excitement. The play became exceedingly fast and exciting, each goal being visited in turn. Turnbull was very prominent in the Rangers ranks, and some of his passes might have been turned into account had anybody been up in time. The Celts new men were playing fairly well, and will do better as time goes on. Runs and counter runs were the order of the day, neither side having much advantage. From one of these runs Blessington sent in an excellent long shot, but Haddow caught the ball and had plenty of time to save. From a corner and a miss kick by Kelly the Rangers crowded round the Celtic goal, and everybody expected the ball to go through, but Turnbull, who had only to tip it to send it through, slipped and missed, and the ball went harmlessly past the posts. It was hard lines on the Rangers, who at this time were undoubtedly having the best of it. But the Celts were better men in front of the goal, and a good shot from Blessington was well saved by Haddow. The ball found its way to Davidson, who shot it through after 23 minutes ply, scoring the second gaol amidst great enthusiasm. The Rangers were continuing to have much if not more of the lay than their opponents, but were erratic in front of goal, but at length from a fine centre by J McPherson, Turnbull who was standing in the proper position, headed the ball past, Cullen scoring the first goal for the Rangers amidst loud applause. This put fresh life into the game, and the Rangers by dogged determined play, were pressing the Celts severely. Relieved of the pressure the Celts found their way to the other end, and had the hardest of lines in not increasing their score. A few minutes from the close of a fine run by Kerr resulted in H McCreadie shooting the ball past Cullen, and equalising amidst the most intense excitement. It was rather a lucky goal, and might have been saved. Right on to the close the teams strove their hardest to get the winning goal. It would be difficult to say which team had the best of it, but certainly the last two minutes of the game the Celts fairly hemmed in their opponenets, and a rare shot which rebounded from the cross bar was miraculously saved from going through by Haddow. Result – Rangers 2 goals; Celtic 2 goals.
