Dr Marshall 30
Fleming 58
Match Information
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: T Small (Dundee)
Matchday: Tuesday
Match Trivia
I looked for the Hearts giving the Rangers a closer run at Ibrox, but the champions won without being asked to go all out. The ground was very heavy, and the Hearts seemed to be much more affected by it than the more agile Light Blues, who revealed an all-round touch of class not shown by the Tynecastle team. An important factor was the subjection of the Hearts inside forward by the Rangers half-back, who were able to add their weight to the force of the Ibrox’s team’s attack. The Hearts’ half-backs were slow though, on the ball, they were judicious in giving the pass. But the burden thrown upon them by the inability of the men in front to keep the play away from them was too heavy. This, of course, reached on Reid and King, who were never long out of action. Harkness was in his international form. He saved the Hearts from a heavier defeat. Some of the saves were daring. He went out to the oncoming Fleming several times when the Rangers centre was clear of the backs. One of his saves – a one-handed effort from a shot by Marshall – brought down the house. It was Marshall who beat him at last with a great left-foot drive – a regular rocket, which hit the under part of the bar and went flashing into the corner of the net. There was no saving that one. This happened after 30 minutes, and it was the only goal of the first half. The second goal was headed through by Fleming 13 minutes after change of ends. Morton accurately placed a corner kick, and Fleming timed his intervention perfectly. As I have indicated, Rangers were never in danger. As the play went, they should have got more goals, but McPhail, who had most of the chances, was shooting badly. It was the only thing he did badly. The forwards, as a whole, played some delightful football when they made a serious effort. The noticeable thing about the match was that the winners were a team with divisions all working together with a well-understood purpose. Backs gave to half-backs, half-backs to forward. It would be difficult to say who played better than another, for they each had a turn of claiming the spotlight. It please me to see Craig shooting as he did. I filled the same position in the Rangers’ team, and I know from the goals I got that it pays to look continually for a chance of snapping the goal. Tom Hamilton had nothing very difficult to deal with. Gray and R Hamilton had a banquet of free kicking. One of the nearest things to a goal was from a shot by Gray. Apart from Harkness and the backs, Smith and Morgan were the ones who showed the ability to make any impression. Battles headed out some good balls to the wings, but he could not shake himself free of Meiklejohn. Miller and Murray, I have seen play an attractive wing game, but they were never comfortable on the heavy ground.
