Black 14, 19, 73
Match Information
Attendance: 51,000
Referee: W Webb (Glasgow)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Dont ask a Rangers fan to shove a picture of Ansy Black on his piano! Not that Andy doesnt take a good picture. Indeed, at Ibrox yesterday he was almost the WHOLE picture! He scores a hat-trick. Youd be amazed to know how few players have done that on Ibrox Park. And each of his goals was just a Black goal. Not the result of concerted Edinburgh attack. Just Handy Andy saying Hello to a chance and Sorry, old man, to the goalkeeper. Rangers had as many chances. But they said Hello to them and then Good-bye. It was a dashing, smashing contest. The fellow who didnt get his moneys worth id the guy who puts an IOU below his plate for the waitress. There were heroic deeds and appalling blunders gems of foot-craft and sissy-like foozles. On it went. Hearts this time, the tall, stylish Black eating up the ground with those long-striding limbs. Rangers next, with the crouching Venters buzzing around and flicking here and there. Then Walker sending Briscoe on his way a Winning way. Kinnear, cheeky as ever, making a face at Andy Anderson and getting away with it along the touchline. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it was good to be alive at Ibrox yesterday! Yet the early play was no pointer to this Black Magic that was to some. The main items had been a Thornton header which landed on the roof of the net., with Willie Waugh cuddling the other goal-post, and a paltry miss by Mantle from two yards out. Then entered the Black fellow. In fourteen minutes, the lively Briscoe swept round Winning and shot for goal. It wasnt a good shot fortunately for Hearts. The ball came low across goal, and there was Andy Black smacking it home without hesitation. It was noticeable at this point that Jerry Dawson was anything but fit. And five minutes later this was confirmed. The Ibrox defenders were patently rocky. Black chased a forward ball from a McClure free-kick. Simpson and Gray both made for it and then each left it for the other. Actually, they succeeded in leaving it for Black, who barged through. The big Hearts tried to dribble it round Dawson, but lost possession, and the ball ran clear. A fit Dawson would have smothered any further chance. But Black, who had actually run past the ball, found time to come back and sweep it into the net. The home fans didnt like this. They didnt mind losing one goal (juist tae make it a good gemme, yknow) but that second one was sheer impertinence. For the rest of that first half, Rangers played some of the best football in the game. Thrilling, gripping, exciting football. A team roused to furious attack. Nettled at reserve and frantic to re-establish itself. You can criticise Rangers as you like. They can fight back. The team-work of that period bordering on half-time bodies swayed this way was a delight to the artistic eye. Blue-clad bodies swayed this way and that, searching, probing, testing for faulty cracks in Hearts defence. As events proved, they might have searched all night. For no sooner was a crack discovered than another Heart dashed forward with the solder! Yet, one must be fair, Rangers didnt have the breaks. An Edinburgh Pressman said to me at half-time . . . Ill never be able to stand a second half like that! I heard folk say Rangers were working people too closely. Why dont these people think before they speak? The close work of the Ibrox attack was a distinct testimony of the brilliant marking of the Hearts defenders. Seldom did Ranger get a clear view for a roaring shot. Yet Hearts got more than a few at the other end. Think it out. Rangers forwards simply had to try working the ball through by inter-passing. Dykes and his two backs left them no other alternative. Anyhow, there is no doubt that Hearts were flattered by the half-time score. That glorious twenty odd minutes by Rangers merited tangible acknowledgment. The interval didnt do Rangers much good. They were still plodding away but definitely plodding. Smith, Main and Thornton inter-changed in rather bewildering fashion. But Dykes and his men never changed. Covering, heading, punting no wonder Venters and his mated would halt after a clearance and wipe their brows in despair. Hearts began to creep more into the game. Then to run. And finally, to gallop. Pressure round Rangers goal saw the ball bob about form one head to the other. Ultimately it came to McKillop, standing on the 18-yards line. He made an unholy swipe at the ball to clear it upfield and missed the darn thing altogether. And yes, gentlemen there was Handy Andy again. A tremendous smack towards goal, and Jerry Dawson heard the whistle but couldnt quick pick up the tune! It was all over. Rangers had thrown all their reserve into their earlier assaults. This goal, coming when it did, after 18 minutes, just yanked the valve out of their tyres, and they rumbled groggily along to the finish. Hearts might have scored other goals before the end had they had a brighter leader and left-winger. But I dont think they were very fussy. The glory was theirs; the victory was their so why worry. But Hearts will have to worry if they want to keep at the top. These two positions were definitely weak. Gray had Warren on toast, and even stopped long enough to spread some dripping on it! I can only judge the new player, Mantle, on what I saw in this game. He looked more than a yard slow, and not bursting with guile. Actually, the best Hearts player in my opinion and easily the best back afield was Duncan McClure. Sounds funny that. McClure, the man Hearts didnt want last term. Somebody should tell them! He excelled Anderson clearly. The right back was often led by the nose by the perky Kinnear. McClure, on the other hand, took on Main, Smith and Thornton in turn and treated em all the same. The half-back line was a solid affair. Robson, quiet and unassuming, always filling the empty space and urging on his forwards. Dykes, making the sky the limit in his headwork, and poking them clear while flat out on the turf. But the star of them all was young man Miller. Splendid forcing player, and one who is picking up the subtleties of really classic half-back play with his every game. I wonder how much this Hearts improvement owes to the form of Walker. This wasnt the new Walker I have unhesitatingly criticised in the past. Nor was it the old Walker. Maybe a cross between. In any case it was a much more pleasing Walker. It was a Walker who kept out his wing halfs way and attended more to his partner on the wing. You know about the others. As for Rangers, its rather difficult. They were thrown out of joint by the absence of McPhail. And if they had scored before half-time they might have been galvanised into a great team. As it was, they became dispirited after that third goal, and nothing would go right. Simpson, however, is taking too long to heat up these days. And Simpson has for so long been the apex of the Light Blues defence. McKillop petered out after a fine first half, but Brown had many splendid moves and played quite up to form. Main, Smith and Thornton in their various positions showed up well in the open. It was the clinching of things that found them fighting against something more than mere opponents. At the same time, Rangers made a stupid blunder when they brought Smith into the middle and sent Thornton to the wing. Venters was the best forward over the piece and played some superb football in the first half. But it was a great Hearts victory just the same. Heaven help them if they thrown away these dearly-won points to some wee mediocre club in the near future!
