A Cunningham 3, 43
Match Information
Attendance: 28,000
Referee: A. Edward (Glasgow)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
With Rangers and Clyde in opposition at Hampden the call of charity met with a fine response. As a spectacle the game was good, but as a trial of strength there was a lot awanting. The man in the crowd likes a game with a punch. He didn’t get it in the first half. There was a semblance of it in the early stages of the second half, but the finish was tame. There was a contributing cause for this because Clyde, a goal down, lost Farrell, and thereafter Rangers were never seriously challenged, and won as they liked. The opposition only served to show up the artistry of the Govan forwards, and they were never asked to stretch themselves for a place in the final versus Celts. Cunningham’s play was a feature of the match, and he it was, with the double count, who sealed Clyde’s run further in the ties. It was remarkable that, considering Rangers’ preponderance, the little work Shingleton was asked to get through. He had no chance with either goal, being well out of position. His clearance from Archibald, when the game had well nigh run its course, was his best of the afternoon. Alan Morton had a hefty day of it against Cowan. The passages were not always clean, but throughout Cowan held Scotland’s left winger, with distinction to himself and to his side. The crowd got something to enthuse over right off the reel. Rangers got in the first punch, and the first flag kick, and playing with the wind behind Rangers went all out for a win. In the first three minutes the Light Blues had four of the best charged down. Morton began the raid. Archibald, Cunningham and Meiklejohn all git in in express deliveries, each of which were well blocked. As it turned out, this was a preliminary to ultimate success, as Archibald slipped to Cunningham, and the Darvel man tried his luck from twenty-five yards and beat Shingleton all the way. There was not much of Clyde in the early stages. Allan, with fine judgment, did once let his centre away, only to see him loft the ball. An accident to Farrell reduced Clyde playing strength, and with the one man handicap they stuck it well, principally in defence. It was likely raid on the Clyde right that enabled Allan to get in the first shot at Robb, which the keeper did well to clear. The ‘Govanites’ were well on their game, every man jack of them played to form, with Arthur Dixon outstanding in defence, and Cunningham the star forward. ‘Andy’s’ control of the ball was wonderful, and his conception of spreading the play was of immense value to his side. A great burst by Arthur Dixon left him with Shingleton at his mercy, but in some unaccountable way he lifted the ball high. A better try was Henderson’s, but it simply scrapped the crossbar, with Shingleton well beaten. The Rangers were not all well on the mark, and Cairns was one who was a sorry finisher, while tricky and clever enough in the open. The second goal was another triumph for Cunningham. He spread the ball to Morton, and got it back, and with his cunning left foot he had the Clyde goalie well beaten for the second count. Archibald missed a pinch after a likely run. This half was pretty nearly all Rangers’. Just prior to the half-time whistle Thompson got across a fine centre. Brown and Allan were waiting for it, but McCandless got there first. The Govanites played well within themselves, and their exhibition was pretty and profitable to the extent of two goals, which was the half-time margin. Clyde were still under strength when the game was resumed. They went off with a bang and got a flag kick. Duncan swept it past. Tempers got ruffled. Cowan and Allan had a grievance. The Shawfield boys made a fight for it. Duncan put across a fine ball, and Robb held from Brown, while later Rae had a fine opportunity to shine, but he failed to mark the spot. If there was one man who paid his way in the Clyde team it was Cowan. He held the Rangers’ left well. Rangers had fallen off badly from their first-half brilliance. The same polish and accuracy of movement was awanting. We had one great sprint from Archibald, which came to naught, and a first-time drive from Cairns, which just missed the mark. There was little danger in the work meted out to Robb, who was generally safe in his clearances. Rangers dominated the play right up to the finish, but the interest latterly was not sustained, thousands trooping homewards long before the wind up, satisfied that the better team had won. Robb kept a clean sheet, but there were few drives at the keeper. The play of Manderson and McCandless was not too convincing when played up to, but the twain ‘Bertie’ was the better. Dixon gave a refreshing display at centre half. He was reminiscent of his old-time form, and a power all through the game. Flanked by Meiklejohn and Muirhead, it was a capital line. The non-success of Cairns was a striking feature. For outfield work and artistry, he was as good as his fellows, but he simply could not finish. His chances were many, his successes none. The extreme wingers, Archibald and Morton, were quite good in making headway and in crossing, but in Henderson they never found a taker. For Clyde, Shingleton never got a chance to shine. Cowan was the best back afield. Rae stood out at half. With their handicap the Shawfield front line were out of gear, and they never attained to the form that beat Third Lanark. Duncan and Thompson were good, but the man who showed the method was ‘Paddy’ Allan. Brown was a trier all the time but was never well positioned
