Fleming 15, 25
Wallace
Match Information
Attendance: 18,000
Referee: unknown - to be confirmed
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
The game between Rangers and Clyde at Ibrox was not an inspiring spectacle so far as good football was concerned. The big thrill was reserved for the closing two minutes, when the Clyde team threatened to leave the field following a disputed goal scored by Marshall, and Blair’s being ordered off apparently for something he said to the referee. Marshall drove the ball into a crowded goalmouth, and a short scramble ended with the referee awarding a goal, having adjudged the ball over the line. The Clyde players followed him in a body to the centre, protesting vehemently. They clustered round him, Blair being prominent, and when the official waved Blair to the pavilion the whole team made to follow suit. The counsels of Matt Gemmell, their trainer, and several of the Rangers’ players prevailed on them to stay where they were, and a minute later the whistle went for full time. It was an unfortunate ending to a keen game. An undercurrent of temper had been noticeable throughout, but not to a serious extent. Rangers won, but for the greater part of the game did not play anything like champions; nor did Clyde play like a team near the bottom of the League. The Shawfield attack I considered clever. Borland has the neat sidestep to elude the foe, and a discerning eye foe placing the ball. Jessiman could improve his play by cutting out the frills and a nasty habit of ankle-tapping. Clark is a winger with possibilities. Young was a trifle premature at times in releasing the ball, but in the second half his dribbling baffled Muirhead. Among the half-backs I liked Liddell best. He was swift to convert defence into attack and gave Jessiman many opportunities. Blair was easily the better back. He tackled and kicked with more power and precision than McGuire. Rangers were far from the form usually associated with them. Gray made few mistakes – nor did Tom Hamilton – but Bob Hamilton has seldom made so many errors in judgement. Buchanan may be classed as the best half-back. Some of his slips to Archibald in the second half were clever moves. Fleming, Cunningham and McPhail were best of the forwards. Archibald found it impossible to get past Blair by dribbling and failed to realise the fact. Marshall was never really happy at outside left. He is nit a wing man. I wonder why young Haddow was not played in Morton’s place? A clever run by Rangers’ right wing, in which Fleming worked out to the line ere cutting in, provided the first thrill. The centre’s shot was just turned round the post by Fraser. The Shawfield backs took some circumventing, as the Rangers’ forwards soon found out. For the most part McGuire and Blair were spoilers, but the half-backs were clever tacticians. Rangers’ defence, when the Clyde attack did get going, were none too happy, for Clark and Jessiman made full advantage of the swinging passes of their half-backs. The persistent Ibrox pressure was bound to tell, however. Buchanan essayed a stiff ground shot, which Fraser only spurned along the bye line, for Marshall to return and Fleming to shoot to the net. Rangers, playing better now, if a bit from their best, went further ahead through Fleming, who headed in a corner kick after Gibson had misjudged the flight of the ball. Until half-time play was scrappy. Rangers dominated the play, but they were not the real Rangers. One or two tempers were frayed at times. Clyde made bold efforts in the opening minutes of the second half. They swung the ball about and tried to rattle Rangers. Tackling was keen – so keen that the referee had occasion to say a few words to players on both sides. The game was better than it had been in the first half – not from a football point of view, but in vigour and tenacity of purpose by both teams, still, it was rather scrappy spectacle. Towards the close Muirhead went outside left. He seemed to be feeling the strain on his nearly healed leg. Marshall went inside left, and McPhail to left half. Three minutes from time Wallace scored, while Hamilton was lying prostrate after having dropped a shot. Then came Rangers’ disputed goal and the scene I described. Blair was sent-off after 88 minutes
