G Brown 40
Match Information
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: T Small (Dundee)
Matchday: Tuesday
Match Trivia
What a pity the League leaders had to take the field at Ibrox with teams showing so may changes! It was a great chance for a regular battle royal, but as things turned out, the match could not be taken as a genuine test of strength of the two clubs. Let us hope when the return match comes round in February, we shall see them facing each other with their big guns trained for action. I suppose most people who were at Ibrox will agree with me that Rangers deserved their narrow victory. The forwards had the chances to make the win more emphatic, but the shooting was poor, and will have to improve if the champions are to keep their place at the top. Young Smith is improving. These is no doubt about that, but he has still to develop craft when making his move in on goal. He shows his hand too plainly, and the opposition are able to anticipate. For a contrast, you had only to watch Brown. He puzzled the opposition sometimes by acting quickly and thinking ahead. There was a move in the second half which was worth almost all the rest put together. Morton came round behind Allan to snap at a pass from Brown, who had worked into the centre. Morton took the pass and shot a beauty to bring out as sine a save by Nicol. It was the quickness of the two Rangers forwards to grasp what was in each others mind that showed them to have the instinct, if you know what I mean. Rangers had always a running advantage, but Nicol and his backs were cool and resourceful. Jock Wilson twice nipped in to avert what seemed an almost certain score. But although the champions could force the pace, they could not finish in the matter looked for. Across the line there was an absence of general cohesion. However, the pressure told at last. McPhail put the ball out to Morton, who ran round Hall and centred. Brown was close in I thought offside at the moment and got his head to the ball. Nicol punched out, but the ball was returned and then headed out by a defender. Now Brown was clearly onside. He took the ball on the drop with his right foot, and with a beautiful low drive, sent it whizzing into the net out of Nicols reach. A minute or two later, McPhail almost scored another following Mortons corner-kick. Meanwhile, the Academicals forwards were comparatively idle. Pringle had one great chance to go right on, but he was a bit slow in travelling and Gray overtook him. In the second half, Rangers still had the best of it, but the Hamilton forwards came more into the game than before with spasmodic dashes. In one of these, Dougal hit the post with a great drive. Then Pringle made the bar shake, and running in, got the rebound, only to head over. In still another lively raid, Tom Hamilton had to throw the ball away from a corner with the Academicals forwards around him. These adventures showed how easily Rangers might have lost a point in a match in which they had the pull territorially and in scoring opportunities. There was an absence of the light and elastic touch about their play, which will, no doubt, come back to them in time. It was clear that the Academicals suffered most in attack from the changes. The passing was faulty, but of course, Pringle and Herd are young players who will, I should say, come on. Howe and Moffat could make the ball do the work when they got it, which was not often enough. Tom Hamilton was a right solid and safe goalkeeper. Rangers having nothing to worry about there. Both Gray and R Hamilton did their work well. I saw nothing wrong with either. Meiklejohns steadying influence was missed, although Simpson got into his job with a will. It is no simple thing to come into the League team once in a long time, and do yourself full justice, Both Buchanan and Craig gave the forwards valuable support. Brown the cleverest player on view, played the finest game I have seen him do. His shooting has improved because he is taking the instep to it. As a working line the forwards did not touch the Ibrox standard. Nicol and his backs were the sheet-anchor of the Academicals, along with Watson. I liked Watsons recovery. They were all deserving of praise. Dougall and Hall have, naturally something to learn in placing, but the town wasnt built in a day, was it? I have mentioned the forwards, Moffat and Howe were the footballers in a disjointed line
