J Croall 15
Terris xx, <45
Match Information
Attendance: 48,000
Referee: J Bell (Dundee)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
“I saw today against Morton the best balances team I have seen this season. Mark my words, Falkirk will beat the Rangers.” The speaker was an official of a First League club in England I met on the evening of the Greenock club’s dismissal from the Scottish Cup. My friend has followed senior football for thirty years, and he played the game in the best of company. His words occurred to me as I watched the Falkirk players in the sensational cup struggle at Ibrox Park on Saturday against the ‘Light Blues.’ 48,000 spectators witnessed the Falkirk team give an exposition of football of the best quality. No section of the team dwarfed any other. The side moved with refreshing confidence and accuracy pf movement. Every man paid just regard to position, passed the ball low and quickly, passed it back when about to be tackled, and ran into position for the return pass. The balance of the side was its outstanding feature. Each division exhibited absolute confidence in the other. None of the forwards was guilty of keeping the ball long. It was sent on its mission with the precision of men confident in their skill. There was no suggestion of kick-and-rush cup-tie football in Falkirk’s movements. They played the wide, open game, and with a pace that never slackened. The week before the Rangers gladdened in hearts of their huge following with a brilliant cup win over Hamilton Academicals. The pleas of staleness could not be urged in mitigation of their failure. They never looked the same team against Falkirk until the closing twenty minutes, when only the superlative goalkeeping of Stewart, and steadiness of Orrock and Donaldson, kept them out. By that time the tie looked well won. The Rangers forwards were opposed by a trio of half-backs who’s equal on the day would be hard to find. Steve McDonald placed the ball beautifully to a right wing that sparkled right through the game. Tom Logan, at centre-half, gave Reid little chance to be ever dangerous, and placed the ball nicely for Robertson to speed it out to his wings. McMillan’s solid good work was reflected in the brilliance of a left couple whose delightful movements kept people talking long after the game had reached its startling climax. Croal was the gem of a clever line. When I knew this youth first he was a back in the Rangers reserve team. Enthusiasm for the game and brains have developed his qualities beyond recognition. Croal was writ large over this cup game. He kept the youthful Terris on the move and enabled his flying partner to play the game of his life. Croal was a snip for a place in the League team against England by what he demonstrated at Ibrox. Those who saw him play were not surprised when the choice for Hampden Park was announced in the evening and he was in the team. I will not go so far as to say Robertson is the best centre-forward in Scotland, as I heard one shrewd judge affirm. I would like to see him oftener. He has put on some weight since I saw him last. Robertson is extra clever. He does not hang a second longer than is necessary on the ball. Away it goes to his wings, and away he is up the centre awaiting it’s coming back. With either foot Robertson can pass or shoot. His artful slip passes back or straight out reveal the artist. I wonder what Blackburn Rover would give now to have the Falkirk centre back in Lancashire. They are searching the Kingdom for a centre, and yet they let Robertson go. Gibbons and McNaught comprised a surprise wing. They never gave Galt or Ormonde a rest. They worried the life of the Rangers captain. In all sensational Cup performances the element of luck is not absent. The Rangers started better than Falkirk, and in the opening fifteen minutes looked the more likely lot to score first. The first chance Falkirk got happened then. Terris spurted and shot at Hempsey, after beating Gordon. The Ibrox goalkeeper was drawn out. He got his hands to the ball, but dropped it at the foot of Croal, who sent it into the vacant goal. Success inspired Falkirk, yet it did not dismay the Rangers, who were so well played on to that they could not strike their game forward. Alex Smith was the exception to a faulty line. He bobbed many centres into goal, and had one great shot, when Stewart did well to gather the ball and clear in one movement. From one of McNaught’s clever centres Croal shot into Hempsey. Nerve seemed to have deserted the home custodian, who once again only partially cleared. The watchful Terris dashed in and Falkirk scored a second goal. Half an hour had gone at this stage. Up aloft a Stirlingshire ‘homer’ was on the wing with a message of joy. About this period of the struggle Falkirk’s play was a revelation. Unlike their opponents, they kept the ball low, forced the play at all points, and kept the play swinging. The Rangers strove desperately but for a time the sting was out of their play, and their work lacked method. Parker could not open the right attack, Paterson was lost, and Tom Logan never let Reid away far. For a spell the Rangers were knocked clean out of their reckoning by the dash of those lively forwards. A few minutes before the interval the left pair outwitted Gordon thirty yards out. As the back stumbled Croal whipped the ball to Terris, and the unexpected rout was complete. Three goals down at the interval. No wonder the home crowd was struck dumb. The game ran its course. The result was now a foregone conclusion bar accident, Falkirk held to what they had. Orrock, Donaldson and Stewart proved giants in defence as the Rangers made a mighty effort to retrieve their reparation. Their closing burst was impressive of strength. All the glory was not to be on one side. The damage had been done. Parker shot a goal after Stewart had brought off a few wonderful saves. It was all the Rangers had to show, and by the same figures as the Clyde blasted their hoped last year at Shawfield they bade farewell to the cup. Falkirk won on merit, allowing for the luck that attended them in the scoring I consider this cup feat the best the club has ever accomplished. What is more pleasing, the excellence of their football was a revelation to the vast majority of the spectators
