Whittle >45
Match Information
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: T Robertson (Glasgow)
Matchday: Monday
Match Trivia
When Partick Thistle beat Rangers in the Glasgow Cup ties at Ibrox, last September, and in the Firhill League game in January, there was no doubt about the merit of the victories. There was a little yesterday at Ibrox. But while the Thistle were lucky to win, yet I know that they deserved to lose. After a hard, even first half, Rangers practically monopolised attack in the second half, and in that respect were considerably ahead of the Thistle. But, with all their pressure, the Ibrox forwards could not draw the Thistle defence. As often as they went boring in, so often did they run up against a stonewall defence. And let it not be forgotten that Campbell, in goal, was not busy; the men in front of him, half-backs and backs, allowed the Rangers’ forwards to get precious few shots at him, and what he got were all saveable. So there you have the secret of a result that was distinctly hard on Rangers, seeing that the Thistle from their first breakaway in the second half scored the only goal. Then we had an excellent view of the home forwards trying to overcome the Firhill defence. But what is pressure worth if you cannot open out the defence for shooting purposes? The debut of Cunningham, from Kilmarnock, in the Rangers team was a point of general interest. I may say at once that he was a success. No forward worked harder, or more effectively, than he did, and he had certainly no luck at all with his scoring attempts. He was outstanding in the home front line, gave and took his passed well, and showed any amount of dash. In the first half, several good chances were engineered by him and Paterson, but it was usually left for one of the others to finish the business, and none of them could not it. Bennett twice hit the outside of the net from Paterson’s pretty centres when he was expected to net the ball. As I say, the first half was keen and even, with not a goal record. For the first ten minutes of the second half, Rangers lashed into the Thistle defence. But, as time went on, and only failure to show by the forwards, Gordon made a quick dribble in and shot so well that Campbell saved only with a supreme effort at the expense of a corner. From this, Gordon nearly headed through. For the first time in the game there was genuine enthusiasm over the Rangers’ play, so you may imagine the effect when next minute the Thistle scored. McIntyre nursed the ball up the field, then passed to Gifford, who centred, and Whittle, meeting the ball as it fell, shot so fast and true that Hempsey had no possible chance to save. This was taking the bite out of the Rangers mouth with a vengeance. On top of this Bennett missed a capital chance, following clever forward play by Rangers, but then the Thistle forwards came into the game for a bit, and as luck would have it, Neil Harris was near scoring from another centre by Gifford. From that to the end Rangers pounded the Thistle defence, but it all seemed like trying to split an anvil with a toothpick. If Rangers could thrust, the Thistle could parry. Of course in such an extended period of pressure Rangers were bound to experience near things, and even some bad luck. Once they looked to have good reason to be granted a penalty, and with practically the last kick Craig was near eluding Campbell’s guard, but at the finish it all ended in this - that the Thistle defence would not allow itself to be beaten. All the honours of the victory go to the Thistle defence. Behind Adams and Bulloch, Campbell showed renewed confidence. The three of them were a formidable proposition, the more so because Hamilton, at Centre half, effectively held Reid. It was the neutralising of Reid, and the fact that Cairns was not so good at inside right as he is on the left, that reduced the value of the useful services rendered by Cunningham and Paterson. Bennett threw away several chances that he would have snapped not so long ago, and yet he was better on the wing than I have seen him previously this season. Both Joe Harris and McMullan were prominent in defence, but on the whole, Rangers were superior at half, as you might guess from the amount of Rangers pressure. I have dwelt upon. Bowie, at left half, helped greatly with his passes. Whittle was a difficult one for Pursell to watch, but the Ranger was pretty successful. Likewise Gordon sometimes found McIntyre elusive, but he was the most forcing half on the field, came nearest of any to scoring and repeatedly benefited his side by swinging passes out to Paterson. While the Thistle forwards never settled down as a line, they were often troublesome when on the move. Whittle took a lot of watching, and McIntyre dodging had a worrying effect on the home defence – in the first half. Gifford made a point of getting his centres over quickly, which was the right came for the day. The right just paid its way
