Main 40
B McPhail 60
Match Information
Attendance: 23,439
Referee: T Dougray (Glasgow)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Of the 24,000 who were at Hampden yesterday, many no doubt, were attracted by the possibility of seeing the mighty Rangers being beaten by the Bull Wee Clyde. They who paid their money hoping to enjoy themselves in that direction were sadly disappointed, for Clyde never looked like capturing the silver. And the reason was the complete failure of the forward line. Of the five Boyd alone consistently showed a proper conception of his duties. The right wing was a complete failure, and on the other side of the field, Howieson lacking in mobility, held up more attacks than he assisted. Behind was some good, solid stuff. Wood played his best game so far as I am concerned, and on either side of him he had a hard-working and frequently very skilful wing half-back. In Summers and McRitchie Clyde had a couple of good backs. I took a great fancy to the left back, whom I was watching for the first time. This well-built young man should do well in the game. As it is there are touches of a crafty old hand in his play, and although up against much more seasoned players he more than held his own. In his bouts with Archibald especially he brought out the cheers of his teams supporters. He could take up position quickly, could tackle strongly, and kick with a sure foot. His clearances too, were not just a matter of blind kicking. He steered the leather to where he thought his colleagues could make most use of it. In McRitchie, Clyde have got hold of a right good un. Stevenson kept a grand goal. There is nothing flashy in this keepers work. Indeed, just as some goalkeepers make easy shots look difficult, Stevenson, by splendid anticipation, in this game made good scoring efforts look soft stuff. Apart from the joy of having their name once more inscribed on the trophy Rangers I fancy, would find special pleasure in this game by the play of Gillick, who was making his debut as a centre-forward in the first team. It was an impressive debut, and one that pleased mightily the army of Light Blues followers. True, he is not a big un but somehow or other one forgets his lack of inches when he is on the go. He is very speedy and rises higher to the ball than the majority of leaders. And he is exceptionally clever with his head. So far as he is concerned the nodding of a ball is not a lost art. Thanks in a measure to the stuffy Clyde defence Rangers did not always provide good football. Archibald and Marshall were no more than ordinary, and many of Marshalls passes to his outside man went astray. He, it was evident on more than one occasion, was distinctly annoyed with himself. McPhail was a mixture of brilliance and mediocrity, and I dont think he sufficiently exploited Main, who very often found it awkward playing on the left touchline. He required his right foot too much, as though shirking the use of his apparently less dependable left one. George Brown, accordingly, to reports has not been playing well. Certainly, I have seen him play only one good game this season, that against the Arsenal, but yesterday he produced some of the play that made him an international. There was in his work more than a flash of his old-time graceful effectiveness, especially in attack. Simpson was as per usual the complete third back, while Meiklejohn was the same heady schemer, always a move ahead of the other fellows. Gray and McDonald are just about the best pair of club backs in the country, McDonald is putting more devil into his work. Surely any doubts about his ability to hold the left back position are now dispelled. Dawson had a pleasant Saturday afternoon, although he was annoyed in the second half by the glare of the sun. The game was not a thriller. Far from it, but as long as Clyde succeeded in keeping their goal intact so did, we find things interesting. To be perfectly frank, however, I could not bring myself seriously to specular on the possibility of Clyde victory, even though, early on Boyd gave the opposition a fright by suddenly hooking a ball from a seemingly impossible position. The shot went over the bar with Dawson well out of position to save. There was about the Rangers play from the beginning a solidity that was completely lacking in Clyde. They played as with a plan, while Clydes attacks were not much more than haphazard raids. Only when Boyd, and occasionally Howieson, was on the ball did the Shawfielders look like doing something. The expected goal did not materialise until four minutes before half-time, and it was Gillicks headwork that brought it about. The ball came to him, fairly high, about eighteen yards from goal. He made as if to head it forward. The Clyde defence close in on him. With a deft flick he headed it to the left. Summers had to double back in his stride, but he couldnt recover in time, and Main, beating him for possession, shot with his right foot. Stevenson got his hands to the ball but could not stop its bullet speed journey. The other goal arrived thirteen minutes after the resumption, and it followed one of the few occasions when Archibald got away from McRitchie. The winger crossed to the far side of the goal, and McPhail, jumping in made contact with his head to send the ball high into the net. That was the interest knocked out of the proceedings so far as the non-partisan was concerned, and the players did nothing to bring it back. Clyde became no more than strugglers against the odds, until about the last ten minutes, when some of the spirit of the defence was infused into the attack. In point of fact Howieson should have scored. He was well placed inside the penalty area with a clear view of the goal, but he shot weakly for Dawson to dive and save, that was when Boyd at the beginning produced a surprise shot were the only occasions when Rangers goal was in danger. Yes, it was poor stuff for a cup final.
