Gordon
Aitken
Match Information
Attendance: 65,000
Referee: G.W. Hamilton (Motherwell)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
A crowd converging on 60,000 saw Rangers whack Celtic in the Glasgow Cup final at Hampden. The Light Blues were good winners, and never had the team that carried the Parkhead colours been better back-seated than they were in this game. Celtic carried the home article with the exception of Bob McNeil, the one-time Chelsea winger, and McStay being unable to cross the channel, McGregor partnering McNair. Gordon found a place in the Govan team, and with the exception of McDiarmid all the Rangers’ regulars were out. Rangers went with the wind in the first half, and Celts were mainly on the defence. From the start it was regular cup-tie football, and while the standard of play was not over high, it was an interesting contest throughout. Gallagher’s back-heeler, which gave him a clear field, was the first item of note, but Purcell brought off a great tackle. Cairns then drove in high, and Walls from a place kick tested Shaw, and Manderson played ‘safety.’ Shaw was in the ‘glare,’ and he repelled attacks from Gordon and Walls with credit. ‘Fister’ was great this half, with shooting well above average. A back pass was Hempsey’s first job, and it can be said here that two direct shots were all he was asked to tackle throughout the game. McNeil did not hit it, and when any chances were going he disappointed. But it was the Greens’ last line of defence that bore the brunt of the work, with McNair the master. With half-an-hour gone an untoward incident happened. Purcell and McColl fell foul of each other, and blows being struck, both were relegated to the pavilion. Gordon was brought back to right half, and till the interval Rangers claimed the going without scoring. Cringan held up McLean at the restart. The Cathkin shot was going through, but the Parkhead pivot cleverly dispossessed him. Moving nicely the Rangers by nice combination drew first blood. Walls initiated the movement by slipping on to Aitken, the winger passed on to Bowie, from Bowie to Gordon, and the ‘Sergeant’ got in a left-foot shot which beat Shaw all ends up. It was a great effort. They were up against a trio of sticklers, who checkmated them at every turn. Rangers were all over the aggressors, and Dixon played the game of his life. In destructive as well as constructive work the Oldham pivot was entirely successful, and as a result Adam McLean was seldom in evidence. Feeling ran high. Cairns laid out Jackson; Manderson laid out McNeil, and Gallagher did the same to Blair. It was hard lines on ‘Patsy’ to have a good goal disallowed. Following a free kick the ‘spark’ caught on and shot past Hempsey in grand style, but simultaneously with the ball’s leaving his foot the whistle blew for an offside decision against a confrere, and the effort went without reward. The Celtic live never flattered. They never menaced the Govan goal. McColl’s loss was a bigger handicap to Celts than was Purcell’s to the Rangers. Till the last kick the ‘Govanites’ had it, and just on time Rangers whipped home a second goal. This was one of Aitken’s efforts, who in his run home beat both backs, and with a fast grounder gave Shaw ‘no option.’ On the winning side Hempsey had a picnic, Manderson and Blair were both steady, Dixon all over was the hero of the match, and Walls kept the Parkhead wizard well in subjection. Gordon played a masterly game at right half, and as a relief forward was great. Aitken was fitful, and McLean, who had only a couple of decent tries, was too well shadowed to be effective. For Parkhead, Charlie Shaw was magnificent. He dealt with many good balls, and had simply no chance with the shots which beat him. McNair was the best back afield. Time and again friend and foe voiced their appreciation of his picking up of forward passes meant for Davie McLean was one of the feature of this latest final. Cringan was scarcely up to his usual standard, but he had a mission, and he carried it out. The Parkhead middle men were rather easily played through, and, lacking the necessary support, the forwards never fell to a paying game. McNeil never flattered. Gallagher was the best of the bunch, and Burns lacked the necessary experience to carry him through against odds. Adam McLean was shadowed so effectively that he had few tries at goal. The drawings, all in, was £1850, including tax
