Currie <45, >45
Hamilton 86
Match Information
Attendance: 26,000
Referee: Mr Campbell (Blackburn)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Ibrox has struck a bad patch in form. On that point most folks are agreed, and especially those who witnessed the two cup games played between the Rangers and Queen’s Park. On the first occasion at Hampden Park the marked difference in the play of the teams was at half-back, and the second game found the superiority of the Q P middle line even more pronounced. The Rangers were compelled to fall back on Gray to complete the trio at the eleventh hour of Saturday. Stark turned up at Ibrox willing to take the field if pressed, but he frankly informed the officials had been troubled with insomnia, and felt physically worn out. So there was nothing for it but to make the best of the situation John May went centre half, and Gray left, with Mainds in the place Speedie occupied at Hampden. The last-named was on the ground, and no player’s name was more freely mentioned among the 26,000 spectators prior to the start. He has the shaping of a good career in Newcastle if he applies himself to the task. The Light Blues rearranged middle division never impressed the beholder. The wing halves were unequal to the task of coping with the Q P attack, and May was overworked. He played a stout game all through, and was the only one in the line to equal the Q P trio. Once again Murray proved the chief destructive agent against the Rangers’ forwards, who seemed eager and earnest to wear down the strong, bustling defence opposed to them. At times they flattered their supporters as they worked their way through, but Thomson and Richmond covered up so effectively that the Rangers, even when the shooting was dead on, could not find an opening. An object lesson was provided by the complete understanding revealed in the movements of the Q P defence. If one man was beaten another cropped up to thwart the attack, and none did more work in these co-operative tactics than Andrew Richmond and Arthur Murray. All over it was a defence almost perfect in its aggression and thoroughly reliable in its work under pressure. The Rangers never got rope to settle, and the victory of the Queen’s Park was thoroughly merited. Lacking the support accorded the Q P attack, the home forwards seldom sustained an attack, while their shooting was mostly directed from too long a range, and at that faulty in direction. Hardly one of the five rose to the occasion, while the inside supports were unaccountably weak. By comparison the QP forwards were much the cleverer and better balanced. Their dribbling and passing on the soft ground were vastly superior. Even young Templeton, who took the place of Vallance, combined nicely with his partner Currie. The Airdrie forward had the only goal of the first half, and he made the result sure twenty minutes from the close by scoring a second off a fine pass from the left pair, whose tricky initiation resulted in the movement leading to the goal. The Rangers responded manfully, but had no luck, and just at the close, Carrick Hamilton stole away and made victory more decisive. Play was fought out in the same keen manner as at Hampden Park, but the Q P improved on that surprise display by an even better performance. It was a more sportsmanlike game too, and foul play was never in evidence. Both goalkeepers did well, but the winners excelled at back. Campbell did not do so well as at Hampden, but Jackson was a good second to Richmond. There was not a failure in the winning team. Fitchie seemed leg wearied by his journey from London, and only came away at the close. Armour proved a thoroughly serviceable centre against the best of the home defence.
