J Smith 46, 47, 54
A Venters 62
Match Information
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: J Thomson (Hamilton)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
That looks like a one-horse show or a debacle. It was nothing of the sort. In fact, up to half-time, Hibernian were as good, or as bad as the Rangers. If the some sort of play had been served up in the second half, the match would have been memorable as one of the worst seen at Ibrox, but after the interval there was a quick transformation. Rangers were two goals up in as many minutes, three up in ten minutes, and four up in 17 minutes. For much of the wretched passing by the Rangers half-backs and forwards in the first half the extreme skid on the ball was largely responsible, but candidly, I looked for a greater aptness in overcoming the adverse conditions. Rangers had most of the ball, but the Hibs half-backs and backs were so quick into the tackle that precious few chances of beating Blyth cropped up. The Hibs forwards were, in fact, the more likely to pick up a goal. Then the lightning began to flash. A minute after the restart Main took a pass from Venters and nicely placed the ball for Smith to head home. One minute later Brown, now right on his game, passed through to Smith, who shot on the swing and scored a second goal. Seven minutes after that, Samith again! He got a rebound off a Hibernian defender and went close up. His first shot came back off Blyths hands, but he netted at the second attempt. The fourth goal was a very fine one by Venters, who wriggled through the opposition and shot with his left foot. It was wonderful to see how the Hibs fought back, but their forwards did not have the finish. Seven minutes from the end Nicholson sent across a perfect pass and McPhail whipped the ball into the net. Two minutes later Main, nearly offside, if not quite, walked up to within six yards of Blyth, and sent across to McPhail, who had merely to tap the ball through, with Blyth at the other end of the goal. On the winning side, Jenkins pleased me because I like to see a goalkeeper who can punch the ball. Gray was a fine back, and McDonald up against a good one in Walls, gave nothing away. It was not a good half-back line in the first half, but Craig was then the best of the three. Afterwards they were all good. It was, too, a second-half forward line, and let me tell you the five of them had to do something to redeem themselves. They did it all right. I felt some sympathy for Hibernian, especially for their defence, in which Blyth and his backs did really well. Watson was as fair as he was resolute, and both Crawford and MacFarlane did each a mans wo
