W Reid 30
Galt
Match Information
Attendance: 9,000
Referee: R.J. Kelso (Hamilton)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Although the Rangers in the end achieved something resembling a bloodless victory over their great eastern rivals, at one part of the game it looked as if it would take them all they know to even keep up their own end, to say nothing whatever of winning. For in the first half hour the Hearts, against the wind, made an eminently successful start. Not only did Walker and Hegarty by their sound, resourceful, and plucky defence, relieve McPhillips mind of any real anxiety, but the wing forwards, capitally backed up by the half-backs – the centre forward was seldom in the picture – by their guerrilla-like methods often managed, even in the teeth of the almost half-a-gale which prevailed, to get on terms with Law and Campbell, and with even Lock himself. But Reid’s opening goal, fourteen or fifteen minutes from half-time, it became apparent that the Rangers were almost assured winners. The Hearts pegged in pluckily enough until the interval, but their dashes westward were less frequent then in the earlier stages, and those they did make lacked the accuracy and power of their predecessors. But they were far from being a spent force then, although, as after events proved their strenuous exertions of the opening half to a deal out of them, and left them comparatively unfitted to carry on the game as they should when it came their turn to play before the breeze. There is, however,, no saying what might have happened had that second goal not come the way of the ‘Light blues’ in the manner it did. They were certainly the superior side but the moment – a couple minutes after the resumption – but the most rabid Ibrox partisan would scarcely affirm that there was not a slice of luck attached. Galt, well out on the wing, had little notion that the ball he let go in the direction of McPhillips would prove too much for that keeper, who had previously distinguished himself, as he again did later in the game. But to the surprise of everybody, the custodian foozled the ball which latterly founds its way into the net. Then as often happens in a case of this kind, everything but scoring became as easy as the alphabet to the ultimate winners, while for the Hearts everything became correspondingly difficult with the result that in the end the Ibrox players might be said to have walked away with the points. While giving the Hearts every credit for the plucky stand made and the open game played by their weakened and experimental eleven, it would be idle to deny that the Rangers were much the superior side, both in ability and stamina – and the latter quality mattered much on such a day. Still their play, especially forward, was far from perfect. For more than an hour the game was stubbornly contested and well worth watching, yet the work of the winners – nor that of the losers either for that matter – never touched a really high standard. Hogg it is true, was in his very friskiest mood, and got across several nice balls, besides that one which Reid got his head to, in addition to having two or three good shots on his own. Reid – fast, daring and resourceful – was ever on the spot, ready and willing to seize his opportunity, but the movements of the line as a whole were jerky, and lacked the rhythmic action one associates with a really first-class forward rank. Bennett’s absence seemed to be accountable for most of the failings of the line. Goodwin, the Ayrshire recruit, who substituted the injured left-winger, shoed a fair knowledge of the duties of the position. He gathered the ball fairly well, but he failed in parting with it, which failing was reflected in the comparatively poor display given by Alex Smith. Although Bowie gave Hogg several splendid passes – the ball from which the big chap got in the centre from which the first goal accrued was magnificently sent on by the ex-Queen’s Park player – he was in a lesser degree deficient in the same quality as the Ayr man. In the corresponding division of the Hearts’ team there was little or no attempt made at combination along the front. Each wing adopted the Hal o’ the Wynd method, and went for its own band. Sinclair, splendidly played up to by Harker, who operated in Walker’s place, showed rare ability, his travelling along the wing and centreing being really first-class. On the other side of the field, Sanderson, less ably backed, also showed himself possessed of a lot of the right winger’s good qualities. The Hearts’ intermediate line did not contain a player of the class of Gordon or Hendry – the most showy half-back afield – but, like Galt, McLaren, Nellies and Farr nevertheless played splendidly throughout, the work of the Tynecastle trio in the first half, with the odds so much against them, being particularly good. Campbell paled before Law, who was almost at his very best, but the left back played a sound and steady game nevertheless. What Walker and Hegarty lacked in style or reposed they made up for in energy. Indeed, but for the strong and resolute and at times resourceful display given by this pair of sturdy defenders, the Rangers victory would have been more pronounced. Lack and McPhillips, who were both daring to a degree did all that was asked the, in good style. The Tynecastle man was unfortunate to lose the second goal
