J Smith 19
Briscoe 70
Match Information
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: A Henderson (Kirkcaldy)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
He cant keep out of the news. Referee (was-it-a-goal?) Henderson, I mean. Yes, hes done it again. And this was the way of it. Alec Venters went sailing through, beat a defender, pushed the ball back from the bye-line. Waddell ran in, smacked it home. Rangers jubilation then consternation. Mr Henderson was placing the ball for a free kick. The decision presumably was that Venters, having released the ball, had placed himself in an off-side position. And all the hooting and booing of the crowd, the appeals of Rangers had no effect. Mr Henderson didnt even bother to consult a linesman. Frankly, I couldnt see it the referees way. I thought it was a goal and a good one. Which is a darn sight more than I could say for the two that were allowed to stand. Though they were legitimate enough. Rangers first half counter came from a great particular Smith shot that Dykes diverted. Waugh dived and caught the ball, then allows it to slip over the line. It reminded me forcibly of the goal that put out of the cup at Parkhead. And Hearts equaliser. Brisco ran the ball forward past Dawson. It landed at Grays feet. And Dougie promptly placed it in the back of the net when attempting to clear. The goal were typical of the game. It was never worthy of these two great antagonists, Scrappy and lacking in sustained effort. Rangers should have won hands down. They had the balance of play nearly all through. They missed many chances; some of them in incredible fashion. And they had, too, their share of bad luck. But the most amazing feature was that this game, so full on paper of personalities, didnt possess one in actuality. It must have been a most disappointing day for the SFA selectors. Yet they did see dapper Johnny Shaw turn in another grand display. The little left-back took a big step on the Hampden path. Scotland might do much worse. He was Rangers brightest member. But the side possessed real solidity if little sparkle at half-back. McKillop, Simpson and Brown all did stout work. Surely the Ibrox folk are now convinced of McKillops beat place. The Ibrox forward five flickered in and out of the game in astonishing fashion. Not one of them was really consistent. Yet all did neat and nifty things. Fiddes had some bonnie touch-line runs. Many of them due to McPhails prompting. But Bob wasnt quick as of yore to seize the scoring chance. Neither, for that matter, was Jimmy Smith. Alec Venters was the days unluckiest marksman. Once he hit the bar, once he had a shot cleared by McClure on the line, once he hit Waugh amidships from three yards range. And once he missed a sitter by putting it over the bar! Hearts were the same lackadaisical crowd I saw a week previously against Queen of the Soth. Some day Ill write a book on the mystery of their football vagaries! Andy Anderson was a last-minute absentee, McClure moved one, archie Miller dropped back, and Tom Brown played his second game in two days. It was too much for him. Miller deserves a pat on the back. He was more than a stop-gap, even if he lacked the full-back style. His clearance were crisp and workmanlike. Best defenders, as so often is the case, was burly Jimmy Dykes. He was generally master of an equally massive Smith. The forward line never functioned. Walker, still below par, was best, with archie Garrett running him close. I never noticed Andy Black. The wingers lacked opportunity. Need I detail all the missed chances? I think not. Suffice to say they generally came in scrambled fashion left the same way!
