A Bennett
Paterson
Match Information
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: T Dougray (Nitshill)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Even if Partick Thistle were scarcely so much in the game at Ibrox Park as the score implies, I am bound to say that had much credit by the result. You must remember that the Thistle have been suffering even to a greater extent than Rangers – who have suffered plenty, I know – from injuries. As it happened, Rangers were in a position to meet the Thistle with a side that was practically top strength, excepting for the absence of Bowie, who is coming along well. So, to lose only a goal in each half and to compel Rangers to fight their hardest for each of their scores, was distinctly creditable to the team from Firhill. Thistle forwards were often able to do good work with the ball, but the strong note in the game was one of Rangers attack opposed to Thistle defence. In the first half this was especially the case. The home forwards swung into the Thistle rear-guard in a style that delighted the eye. There was the ever-present promise of a score, which was unfulfilled until three minutes from the interval, when Bennett rounded off a corner kick by whipping the ball past McTurk from close in. Up till then Dunsmuir and Bulloch had made a courageous stand, and were well seconded by the half-backs, Raisbeck, as usual doing great work with his head. The Thistle forwards made some quick wing excursions to Hempsey’s quarters, but the shooting was bad. Once King had only Hempsey to beat, but he took what I could only call a wild kick, and the ball went ‘anywhere.’ A little more balance about the Thistle attack on these occasions, and the Thistle might have had cause to rejoice. Lowrie and Reid were both in the wars in this half, and the Rangers’ centre was off the field when Bennett scored. He did not resume along with the others, and when he at length came out the second goal had been scored. It came about this way. The Rangers’ forwards had been suffering repulse after repulse, when Hendry passed on to Bennett, who dribbled ahead, and centred from well out. The ball crossed the goal at a wide angle, and was nearly out of play, when Paterson came up at express speed and shot with terrific force without stopping. McTurk was in a good position to save, if a human being could have saved, but nothing but a dyke would have kept the ball out. So it was a goal. It was after this that the Thistle showed their teeth. King led in some resolute attacking, and twice at least the home goal was on the point of falling before the assault. Most unluckily Steel got injured, and after striving to remain at his post he had to go off for treatment and never returned. Hendry was next to suffer. He came into violent collision with Lowrie, and sustained such a severe jar all up the right side that he to be taken off the pitch on a stretcher. He was able to limp round the track to the pavilion and, much to the general surprise, was soon in the thick of the game again. More hard knocks were going before the end, and there was a suggestion of feeling coming into the game, but it ended more or less happily. Here and there in the course of the game Rangers played delightful football. At times I imagined we had discovered another ‘human triangle’ in Hendry, Bennett and Smith. No forward could wish for a more attentive or more accurate feeder than Hendry. For all-round service he was the best half afield. He varied his play by passing up to Reid and slinging the ball into goal in a manner that troubled the Thistle defence more than anything. As the Yankees say, Hendry is ‘right there’ at present. Bennett was stronger in his running, and another game so should enable him to avoid mistiming the tackle of an opponent, as he sometimes did. Reid was complimented to the extent of having two opponents on him whenever he seemed set. His injury shook him, but in the second half he nearly got his usual goal from a dodgy run and a shot that struck the face of the bar with McTurk knowing little of what was happening. Logan kept his place better than usual and profited to the extent of being able to spoil many of the most likely Thistle attacks. If he adheres to this style of game he will give the team the maximum benefit. Ormonde, I fancy, is improving his close work. If he could get that up to the standard of his kicking he would be a first-class back. With a centre to control the wings the Thistle would have been well in the running for a point. Lowrie certainly was more enterprising than I saw him against Morton, and I was glad to see him shooting oftener; but he was not in close enough touch with the men on either side of him. That, perhaps was why King and Branscombe took to trying to go through by themselves in the second half. McIntyre played well at outside left, even if there was lacking a little bit of finish after he had taken the ball up. He can beat an opponent very nearly. All the defenders were so eager and so useful that I could not criticise them.
