Fleming 19
A Cunningham 22
Match Information
Attendance: 53,000
Referee: A Leishman (Falkirk)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
First goal in a Cup-tie is of vast importance – perhaps vital. Therefore, Hamilton Academicals will be justified in speculating on what might have happened had Gibson rammed home the ball from the glorious chance in the first minute or of their claim for ‘hands’ against Fleming, when the Rangers centre was going through to score the opening goal after 19 minutes, had been allowed. But these things apart, there can be no doubt that Rangers became more and more the dominant force as the game went on. At the finish they were the most comfortable of winners – the score might easily have been greater but for the big-hearted display of Binnie, who suffering from an injured left knee, stuck to his guns like a hero. There was a harmony about the play of the respective divisions of the winners which was always a telling factor. The half-backs dovetailed so nicely into the movements of the forwards that it was sometimes difficult to tell which was which. On the other hand, the Academicals, after opening with a nice, concerted action, began to fall asunder. Passes went astray because the strain was on – the more they tried the less successful they were. It is an old tale which every team has had to tell. But let me tell you about the play. After Gibson had failed with that first-minute ‘sitter’, the Academicals’ forwards showed grit, and the first thrill was a daring save by Hamilton, who went out and down to smother the ball which was Borland’s own. I have seen Hamilton do nothing more courageous than this. It may have been a turning point of the game. Anyway, it spurred the Rangers, and after a stirring series of cut-and parry exchanges Fleming carried on with a long kick by McCandless, raced into the penalty box, and shot a high ball. It struck Binnie’s left-hand post and bounced into the net. This goal, after 19 minutes, was strongly disputed by the Academicals, and I am not sure that they were wrong in claiming ‘hands’ against Fleming. But this set the Ibrox forwards going, and three minutes later Morton crossed beautifully to Cunningham, who side-stepped for position and shot a second goal. There was no white feather about the response of the Academicals, but the sway of the game was against them, and three minutes from the interval Fleming headed a third goal, following a free kick just outside the penalty area which was given for Archibald being brought down. There is no need to expand on the second half. Archibald finished a puzzling forward advance by lobbing the ball into the net for the fourth time, 15 minutes after the change about, and from that stages the result was never in doubt. Before the end Binnie did some splendid saving, Moffat went off injured – it was a lusty contest but fought out on good sporting lines. The Academicals accepted defeat in the best possible spirit. Rangers had a big pull at half-back, where Muirhead and Craig worked sweetly with their wings. After an uncertain start, Shaw settled down to a fine defensive game, despite an injury which made his participation in the tie doubtful. Manderson was a safe deputy for Gray and McCandless was the best back on the field. McMillan, I thought, was an important factor in the success of his side, for he was continually going after the rival forwards and coming through with the ball at his feet. The line as a whole played well. Despite the loss of four goals, Binnie came out of the game with credit. Johnstone and Hunter stuck it out gallantly, but the strain told against them when their half-backs became overborne. I was disappointed with the forwards, of whom only Dick showed a facility for going through. Moffat met his master in McCandless, and Gibson could not get Borland to respond
