A Morton 8
G Henderson 57
Match Information
Attendance: 67,000
Referee: William Bell (Hamilton)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Rangers got through their Scottish Cup tie against Greenock Morton at Ibrox all right, but not quite so convincingly as I had anticipated, but let me say right away that Rangers easily paved their way for meeting their next opponents in the ballot. I did not expect to witness a game bristling with dainty touches and clever, combined movement, and thus I was not disappointed. The play throughout, in my opinion as an old hand at the game, was unnecessarily rough, and it was a miracle the services of the respective trainers were not more frequently called into requisition. One expects robust play in a Cup tie, but not quite on the lines of the ‘hot stuff’ served up at Ibrox. I was sorry to learn before the game that McIntyre, the worrying Greenock defender was shivering ominously while the players were stripping, and in the circumstances, it was perhaps wise to leave him out of the team, allowing Bell to partner Gibson at back. Then Andy Cunningham was suffering from a swollen eye, and the old Killie forward told me he had been obliged to bathe the optic for hours on end prior to the start of the game. What a splendid crowd greeted the teams when they appeared. I guessed the attendance at something in the region of 60,000, only to be informed after the game that there were fully 64,000 spectators around the playing arena. Glasgow is really the home and the Mecca of football, and I know such wholehearted enthusiasm for the winter game prevails. It is always an inspiration for me to witness a rugged, strenuous Scottish Cup tie. I thought Rangers were to swamp the men from Greenock judging from the way they opened play. Within a few minutes Alan Morton had kicked the first corner, a but Edwards cleared without being worried, and early on I recognised Jacky Wright was to be a dominating personality in the game, The stalwart Greenock centre half was in his element, and in kicking, tackling and placing he excelled any player on the field. It did not take Morton long to prove it was to be no one horse show, however, and a determined onslaught by the men from the sugar town was only terminated when McCandless got a hefty kick which relieved Robb of further anxiety at this stage. When Alan Morton described a perfect parabola through the too robust tackling of a Greenock defender a yard outside the penalty area the Morton were in luck. The best shot of the match came from the foot of Andy Cunningham, and while the Rangers’ faithful were yelling ‘goal’ at the pitch of their voices Edwards, by means of a wonderful dive, diverted the ball against the upright, when it rebounded into play, and was cleared. It was the tit-bit of the tie, and Andy was just as much to be commiserated on its failure as Edwards was on his truly marvellous save. The crowd had hardly ceased murmuring about Cunningham’s brilliant drive when the welkin rang merrily, Alan Morton got the ball near the touchline, and by an adroit movement he rounded Bell like a fairy, and although on the goal touchline, he worked his way in on Edwards, and practically walked the ball onto the end on his lonesome. It was a goal which will be talked about for months to come, and I was not surprised to hear the seep-throated cheer from all parts of the packed arena which greeted the culmination of a brilliant solo effort. This Rangers’ success came along in ten minutes from the start, but it was only after this reverse that Morton found their bearings and took a greater share in the run of the game. McNab, who was the best Greenock forward, rounded McCandless in great style, and Robb was glad to tip his terrific drive over the crossbar. This was the nearest Morton effort to score so far, and it encouraged the Greenock players to keep at it. For a spell I really thought the equaliser was bound to come along, but the Rangers’ defence, especially McCandless displayed resolution and daring. The play of Cunningham and Archibald had been delightfully clever at times, but Henderson was poor at shooting in the first half. Once Cairns close in placed a gem of a cross at the foot of the Rangers’ centre, but the old Dundee players ballooned the ball yards high when I thought a gentle tip would have done the trick. I was surprised at so much temper being displayed, and this led to a deterioration in the quality of the football served up. Then the referee, in my view, was unnecessarily finicky in the use of the whistle. I do not remember a Cup tie where there was such an irritating succession of ‘toots’ on the game. In many instances the referee penalised the attacking side by stopping the game in cases where the play alleged to be fouled had the ball at his foot and was likely to make headway at the time. Running my rule over the tie, I must award the palm to Rangers. It was not a great game so far as clever football is concerned, but it was dour, tousy and never lacking in interest. A retrospective bird’s eye view of the game suggested a few outstanding points. First, there was the impressive display of Jacky Wright at centre half for the Greenock team. This stalwart player was the dominating personality on the field. How he worked and schemed and kicked to thwart the efforts of the Light Blues! Yes, Wright was seldom wrong in anything he attempted. Then there was the elusiveness of Archibald and the subtle strategy of Andy Cunningham. This was the best wing on the field. Cunningham had the brains for a Cup-tie tussle, and his quick eye to detect the position of a colleague who was unmarked meant much when it came to parting with the ball. The defence on both sides had the bulge of the attack, and while Manderson was seldom beaten I thought McCandless, save for a few uncertain returns neat the end, the more prominent back for the winners. Of the Rangers’ midline, all three worked hard throughout, with Arthur Dixon perhaps the most outstanding by reason of his ‘policing’ of French, the Greenock centre. Alan Morton pleased and, at the same time, disappointed me. In the first half he was very elusive, but after the crossover I thought he might have centred better instead of driving yards wide. But that gem of a goal, of course atoned for a multitude of errors. Cairns was not up to his usual. I thought Tommy was inclined to be selfish, and that style of football did not come off against a lot of ‘first-timers’ like the Morton defenders. I was informed I did not see Rangers at their best, I quite believe it, and yet I cannot withhold admiration for the grim and determined fight Morton put up on enemy territory, and in face of a crowd where the bulk of the support was with their opponents. Morton dies game. They are a good Cup-tie team, and it was their misfortune to be drawn against the best team in Scotland this season, I was informed that the attendance topped 64,000, and I quite believe it. The crowd, viewed from the press-box, looked immense, and although defeated Morton have a nice solatium in the form of a cheque for £1100 odds, which should do much to soften the blow of being knocked out of the ties
