Buchanan
Unknown (4)
Match Information
Manager: No Permanent Manager
Attendance: 7,000
Referee: unknown - to be confirmed
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
This important event, which came off at Kinning Park, attracted the largest number of spectators seen at a game this season. The grandstand was crowded to it utmost capacity, and round the ropes the crown stood in some places seven rows deep. At the lowest estimate, in fact there could not have been fewer than 5,000 present. The wet weather, which has prevailed more or less for the past ten days, continued on Saturday forenoon, and matters looked anything but pleasant till near the time for commencing hostilities, when the clouds cleared away and a dry afternoon ensured. The ground was soft, and interfered with the play, and even the best men on each side sometimes missed the ball. On the whole, however the contest was a very fine one, and eventually ended in favour of the premier club by four goals to one. This result it is only fair to add was not by any means borne out by the play, as it was only in the last quarter-of-an-hour that the Rangers were fairly mastered by superior combination, and not a few of their admirers must have been crestfallen. To see such a poor finish as their favourites displayed. The Queen’s Park on the other hand, illustrated an amount of staying power, which was scarcely expected, and if they play as well all through their cup-tie with the Preston North End a fortnight hence as they did in the last quarter of an hour in this tussle there is some hope for them yet. The Queen’s Park kicked off towards the upper goal, and after one or two smart returns by the backs the ball was kept pretty well among the forwards. Hamilton, on the Queen’s Park right wing was the first to show off with a nice piece of dribbling, but just as he was aiming a shot at the Rangers goal the ball was cleverly taken from him by McIntyre and sent down the field. After some short but smart scrimmages in the Rangers territory near the left touchline Fraser cleared himself of Gow, and got well in for the Queen’s Park sticks, and lost a fine chance by shooting over the bar. The kick-out in front was neatly taken and the ball sent to mid-field where D Allan secured possession and passed on to Sommerville, who just grazed the Rangers post with a fast shot. The Rangers had a foul given in their favour, and Cameron made good work with the ball, but a heard by Gow saved the premier club a goal, which was for a moment in jeopardy. After this the Queen’s men came away forcibly and a capital run in which Turner, Hamilton and JB Allan took part, was all but successful, the Rangers being compelled to give a corner-flag kick to save themselves. This proved the first of a series from both right and left corner-flag, till the clean kicking of McCartney, who showed fine pluck in tackling and dashing in after the ball whenever he thought he could reach it, cleared a fourth away. It was now the Rangers turn to be busy attacking the Queen’s Park goal, but Stewart saved it most indecently twice over, and in the second effort had to give a corner-flag kick. The chance however was lost by Lawrie sending the ball over the bar outside the goal line. The Rangers soon after the kick-out was made kept the ball well in on their opponents lines till a beautiful return by Gow relieved the pressure and Hamilton getting possession had a short run up the right side. He was closely pressed by Cameron, but showed excellent judgment on the spur of the moment by passing to Harrower. That player piloted the ball safely past three of his opponents, and getting within ten yards or so of the posts made a fast shot that beat Chalmers and caused the visitors to be one up. This was all the scoring in the first round, although shortly before half-time whistle was sounded the Rangers all but scored after a brilliant run by Lawrie, Fraser and Peacock. In the second half, which was started by the Rangers the visitors got it so hot for five minutes that it looked as if the Rangers were going to win in canter. By brilliant forward play, in which every man in the front rank showed remarkable effort the younger club pinned the Queen’s Park to the mouth of their goal, and shot after shot was sent in with exciting regularity. The combined heading however of Smellie, Stewart and Gow withstood the charge with coolness, and do all they knew the Rangers could not get the ball through. Back they came, however with the centre division reinforced, and Buchanan getting the ball neatly passed to him by Fraser, scored a pretty goal. This made the game equal, and from the manner in which both teams afterwards played the match hung in the balance, and many considered a draw inevitable. At length, however the wearers of the black and white striped jerseys recovered themselves and after some smart mananovring by Hamilton, who fed the centre forwards very neatly, Turner and Harrower got down on the Rangers lines by a dashing run, and Harrower made a second goal for his side. The Rangers then faced up once more in the centre, and Fraser had hard lines in not scoring, after clearing himself of the Queen’s Park backs. This however proved the last effort of the Rangers, for they afterwards fell off in a most unaccountable way, while their opponents redoubled their efforts, and virtually ran through them. Sommerville soon scored a third goal out of a scrimmage, and before time was called D Allan ran upon seeing an opening and scored a fourth. The Rangers in the closing minutes of the play, prompting by a good kick-on, made one gallant effort to reduce the record against them, and when the whistle sounded were attacking the Queen’s Park goal. The match, which was a remarkable one throughout thus ended in favour of the Queen’s Park by four goals to one- a result, which even the most sanguine member of the Queen’s Park scarcely expected to see. Both goalkeepers showed very great ability in defending their goals, but we must say Gillespie was much better supported by his backs than Chalmers when the work was hot in front. For the winners the forward division wrought splenedly together, and the style in which Hamilton ‘fed’ his centres with the ball was the theme of remark. Tuner showed any amount of pluck and is a splendid man in a scrimmage, but he is slow on the ball not infrequently overruns it, and is inclined to be selfish. Harrower was in good form, and scored a couple of the Queen’s Park goals, and did the passing game well. We have seen Sommerville work harder, but his dribbling was very pretty. D Allan is getting into his old form, and followed up all round whenever he found a chance of covering the ball. In the last quarter of an hour he and his namesake were the two best men on the field. The Queen’s Park backs kept up the credit of the club very well, and Smellie has really developed into a first-class man. His kicking is scarcely so powerful as many of his predecessors in the same position; but he has capital judgment in defence, and showed superiority in taking the ball away from an opponents when dangerously near goal. Cherrie was very was very uncertain at the outset of the game and looked like breaking down; but he recovered himself wonderfully in the second half, and showed splendid form. Gow and Stewart had the heaviest work on the field, and to them must the credit be given of only allowing the Queen’s Park to lose one goal. Gow was sorely tried by Fraser, and got the upper hand, but not till far on in the match. The best forward on the Rangers side was undoubtedly Fraser who played in company with Peacock. Gow, as we have said had a hard nut to crack with him, and it was sometime a toss up as to who had the best of it. Buchanan to our mind comes next in order, with Pringle and Lawrie following close up. For smart passing and good dribbling the Rangers men are quite equal to their opponents; but they lack the splendid manipulation of Hamilton and Harrower, and cannot keep the ball nearly so long in the thick of the fight. McIntyre was a smart in following up and brilliant kicking as of fore, but he did not keep his feet so well on Saturday as we have seen him even on soft ground; but Cameron was in the best of form, and during the whole of the match only missed the ball once. Gow and McCartney kicked and headed well till the last quarter of an hour when the latter seemed to be completely puzzled by the Queen’s Park forwards, and got completely ‘mixed’.
