W Reid 5, 50, xx
Paterson pen 83
Match Information
Attendance: 7,000
Referee: J.B. Stark (Airdrie)
Matchday: Tuesday
Match Trivia
I am giving no secret away when I state that the Rangers and Celtic are not friendly disposed towards the Inter-City League. Glasgow’s most powerful clubs were chiefly responsible for the inception of the League. A brief experience of mid-week football has taught them that it is detrimental to the interests of their players that they should engage in competitive football twice a week. A friendly conference among the clubs comprising the competition was held last week in regard to its continuance. Dundee, Edinburgh and Aberdeen favoured the competition; buts Celts and Rangers were lukewarm. Dundee claims that the Inter-City League enabled them to adjust their forwards line to the satisfaction of the directors. The fate of the competition still hangs in the balance as far as the Glasgow Clubs are concerned. Another meeting is to be held this week to consider whether it is worthwhile going on. Loss of prestige means much to rival clubs like Celts and Rangers. A victory for one or the other means nothing at the moment, but in after days, when weak teams are forgotten, the cold result is quoted to confound form. The Celts put a nondescript team into the field at Ibrox Park yesterday when they opposed the ‘Light blues’ in the first of the Inter-City fixtures between the clubs. Dodds and McAtee were in Belfast with the Scottish League party. Mulrooney, young, Quinn and Mitchell were among those on the spot, but none of the quartette took park in the game. Loney also put in an appearance, but as he only resumed training on Monday, it was never intended he should take the field. Only four of the Celts who took part in the Scottish League game at Parkhead on the last Saturday in October, when the Celtic won, turned out yesterday. Not one of the four was in the position he occupied then. Three players from the junior ranks were on trial. A place was found at right half for Jarvis of Cambuslang Rangers, and the right wing was entrusted to Morton, said also to hail from Cambuslang, and McLaughlan of the Vale of Clyde. The Rangers honoured the fixture by putting out a more representative side. Gordon, Bowie and Logan were in Ireland, but all the available first team men, except Alex Smith, were called upon. Lock, Hendry, and Robertson are still on the invalid list, but the two first-named players are about fit. Galt intended to play, but at the last moment he wisely acted the part of spectator. A haze hung over the city, but in the outskirts the atmosphere was clear and the weather congenial. Over 6000 spectators put in an appearance, and the receipts aggregated £150. Experience told. From the start of the game the Rangers were the more masterful side. Their young half-backs gave the forwards splendid support. The attack of the ‘Light Blues’ was convincing of strength. They displayed beautiful football, and lay widely apart. I have not seen Hogg or Bennett so effective this season. The right winger touched his very best form. He showed excellent pace, and shot well. None of the Ibrox forwards bettered Reid. His passes out to the wings were delivered as the ball came to him, and he shot freely for goal. In a game like this a centre who can go through with the ball and shoot is in his element. Reid early left his impress on the game. In five minutes he atoned for a previous failure by scoring from the eighteen yards line at an angle. I saw a much faster game than I witnessed at Shawfield Park last Saturday, when Aberdeen turned out trumps. The young players on the Celtic side were eager to shine, but the side as a whole were eclipsed for skill and command of the ball by the Rangers, who played a winning game throughput. Had it not been for McGregor, McNair, Jarvis and Johnstone, the Celts would have fared badly in the first half. As it was they were a shade fortunate to find themselves that one goal down at the interval. In the second half Reid and Hogg were again early in evidence. They led the Rangers in many concerted movements. Reid scored a second goal when the concluding portion of the game was only five minutes gone. It was a repeat of his early success. Boyle got his hands to the ball but could not hold it. The Celts struggled manfully to put a better complexion on the state of affairs. They made a game of it, but excepting McMenemy, the forwards were a long way behind the standard of the opposition. Gaining in strength as the game progressed the Rangers attacked frequently. Fifteen minutes from time Reid scored his third goal of the match with as brilliant a drive as one could wish to see. Then minutes later the route was complete when Paterson scored from a penalty kick. The winners gave the crowd a splendid exhibition of football and excelled in every division. Farrington only got shots from Brown, McMenemy, Jarvis and Browning that gave him any anxiety. The young centre-half, Riddell, formerly of Ashfield, excelled in a stylish half-back line. Forward, the revival in Hogg’s play and the clever backing-up of Paterson gave as much delight to the crowd as Reid’s wonderful shooting. Boyle kept goal well for the Celts. McGregor impressed with a splendid display at right back. The defence, however, was unequal and easily beaten on the left – section. Jarvis did well at right half, and McLaughlan who is a big fellow, is worth persevering with.
