B McPhail 3, xx
J Smith 44
J Smith 88
Match Information
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: J Baillie (Motherwell)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Bob McPhails International cap is coming nearer. A few weeks ago, we were saying his chance of facing the Auld Enemy at Hampden was remote. What now? His genius at Ibrox yesterday was thrown into bold relief. His supreme artistry, power and craft repeatedly had the Queen of the South defenders searching fir a way to stop him. They couldnt. McPhails headwork did not stop there. He scored three goals, two with his toe-piece and one from the penalty spot. It has been proved time and again that the champions are a different team when McPhail is at the zenith of his form. His influence with his mates is tremendous. We saw it again. It was just too easy for them. They were the masters almost from the first kick. I will say this for the Dumfries boys, however they fought it out with more pluck than many a side would have done against such a relentless force. But courage is not everything. They were deficient in skill at least the skill demanded to match that of Rangers. Fotheringham, who brilliantly stopped Smiths penalty-kick in the thirteenth minute of the second half, can be absolved from all blame. The balls that beat him would have beaten any keeper. Outwitted though they were on innumerable occasions, Savage and Culbert were ever coming back for more. Allan too must be praised, but J Anderson and Ferguson were totally unable to counter the cool, cunning Ibrox wingers. Seldom did we see the forwards in action. When we did, McKay and Cumming were conspicuous, but they had a thankless task. Really, it would be invidious to draw a comparison between the champions and their adversaries. In every division were they far and away superior. McPhails first goal was a masterpiece of quick thinking and perfect execution. He notched the second in the twenty-fifth minute Bobs head again. Main and Meiklejohn made this one possible. Smith was the man who notched number three. Less than a minute of the half remained when he flashed the ball away from Fotheringham into the net after two shots had been blocked. Two penalty kicks were awarded the Light Blues after the turn. Fotheringham smartly stopped Smiths spot kick in thirteen minutes, but McPhails ten minutes later, went past him like greased lightning. Rangers did not hold their punches to the extent of stopping the scoring, for shortly before the end Smith crashed a fifth behind the big custodian. Smith missed a 58th minute penalty
