A Smith 43
Match Information
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: J.R.W. Ferguson (Falkirk)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
It was surprising that, instead of only being a goal ahead at the finish of the League game with the Hibs, the Rangers had not established a far greater margin. While allowing for the magnificent defence which the Easter Road team put up, the amount of attacking work on the part of the Ibrox forwards, which was joined in by the half-backs, ought to have borne greater result. But the shooting was not deadly, and the best of the effort found W Allan in his very best form, his saving at times being exceedingly clever. In the first half there was some suggestion of equality, but the home eleven gradually wore down their opponents, until in the second half they had them completely on the defensive. The Edinburgh forwards were safely held, and all the work fell upon the defending units. In conjunction with their goalkeeper – who, by the way, served a term at Ibrox – Birrell and Sam Allan were impregnable, and although at time a little bit lucky, the excellence of their play was deserving of any aid that fortune might bestow. Thus it was that the only goal of the match was scored just before the interval by Alex smith, who ran in and beat the goalkeeper. The Hibernian had a glorious chance presented them before that, but when Smith’s pass came across the front of the goal, Logan was so surprised at getting such an opportunity that he clean missed, while Dixon astonished at the miss, failed to gather the ball. Either of the forwards might have found the net with the greatest of ease. Chances galore came the way of the Ibrox attacking line in the second half, but never a goal, and the best shot came from John May, which found Allan in position to save. Stark, had several drives, but his elevation required considerable adjustment. Hogg dropped a ball over to Yuille which the inside left ought to have put through, and then when he was left with no one but Allan to beat, he shot so weakly that the goalkeeper could stop the ball with his foot and then gather it. The continuous attack of the Rangers’ in the second half became monotonous, and it was a relief when the end came. Herbert Lock, recovering from a leg injury, got no opportunity to rest his fitness, while Law and Campbell revelled in the chances they had for clear punting. When pressed occasionally in the first half their tackling was sound. Waddell played well in the half-back line as deputy for Galt, and Stark and May did not find the opposing attack very troublesome. Gordon was again tried as a forward, and gave good support to Hogg, who indulged in too much unnecessary finessing. Yuille may be excused for his mistakes in shooting for he played Smith very cleverly, his passes being sent nicely forward and in a direction for the outside man to catch them up easily. He also played better to Bennett than Gordon did. The centre did many clever things, and had hard luck with one or two fast drives. To the defensive sides of the Hibs goes all the credition that side belongs, for the forwards were a very poor lot, indeed. Sufficient had been said regarding the goalkeeper to show how valuable an asset he is to the team, and the backs were a safe couple, and accurate punting. Lamb was the best of the half-backs, closely followed by Duguid, but Paterson’s policy seemed to be to get rid of the ball at any cost. Callaghan tried to steady the forwards, but he had a hopeless task in hand, and any response he did get was from Smith
