B McPhail 18
Match Information
Attendance: 22,000
Referee: T Small (Dundee)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Rangers defeated Queens Park yesterday, and by reason of the points gathered, annexed their nineteenth Scottish League Flag. They certainly deserved to win. They were the better team, but they did not play in a manner suggesting they were League Champions. The only goal of the game, in fact, was a hotly disputed one, and referee Small made a mistake in allowing it, for it was the outcome of an attack that ended in English being offside. Rangers are Scottish League Champions, their victory over Queens Park yesterday made a certainty of that. There is little doubt they deserved the honour, but I do wish they had finished up their campaign with a display of football superior to that with which they provided us in this game. They won by the only goal of the game, and that goal coming after eighteen minutes, I definitely say should not have been allowed. It was the sequel to an attack that ended up with English being offside. He shot the ball. The referees whistle should have been blown the second English made for it. But the whistle remained silent. Englishs shot hit Smiths left-hand post, rebounded across the goal, and McPhail dashed in to smash the leather into the rigging while the goalkeeper lay prostrate on the turf, the result of his dive to save Englishs drive. This was not the only bloomer the referee made in this game. Mr Small, in my humble opinion, on several occasions gave decisions the wrong way, and he ignored two positively justifiable claims by the Rangers for penalty-kicks, both in the second half. Certain of the players, as a result of Mr Smalls refereeing, got it into their heads that they could get away with anything, and for some minutes in the latter half of the game we hand a certain liveliness that promised to provide incidents of an unsavoury nature. Fortunately, the players concerned took a thought to themselves and mended their ways. The game ended on a peaceable note. Play opened as if we were to be provided with a thrilling struggle with Queens giving as good as they got. Gradually, however, it tapered off, and thrills were provided more by reason of hefty tackling, which made the crowd roar, rather than by Football of a fast and skilful nature. The Hampden forwards were painful when it came to finishing, and Rangers lot were not too far ahead of them. However, the Ibrox brigade, in the second half, were definitely top dogs so far as offensive work was concerned, and all credit must be given to the Queens Park defence for the manner in which they continually stood up to the pressure to which they were subjected. But despite the heroic work of the six-men in the rear the five in front never looked like making the proper response. In the first half it struck me that Rangers were not too strong defensively on the left side of the field. Brown left his part of the pitch open, and McDonald seemed never able to make up his mind what to do. In addition, his tackling and clearances were weak. Crawford, I reckoned was the man to play to. If Scotlands outside-right was in the mood, I told myself, he could have caused havoc. But he never got the chance. He was starved of the ball, and when the leather did bounce in his direction it was either too strong, too high or badly out in distance. Queens Park in this period, gave the impression of concentrating their attack on their left. Mistaken tactics entirely, for just as Brown and McDonald were weak, Meiklejohn and Gray were strong. The latter was always on top of McKenzie. His anticipation was delightful, and the Hampden left winger got as much rope as the Ibrox back cared to give him, and that was about two inches. Naturally, I dont see Rangers every week, but I do believe that Meiklejohn has seldom this season, played so much on the offensive. He could afford to take chances, and he was frequently up among his forwards forcing play in a manner I have seldom seen him do for a couple of years back. He was confident in everything he did, and he provided two of the big thrills of the game by his manner of dealing with a couple of free kicks awarded his side at a point just outside the penalty box one in each half. Each was a thundering good shot. The first struck the crossbar with Smith beaten, the second was tipped over the bar by the goalkeeper and Mr Small awarded a goal kick. Meek deserved to score with either. Both were great drives. I thought Queens Park a trifle unlucky to retire a goal behind, especially in view of the manner in which that point was secured, but in the end, they were made to play second fiddle. Rangers were the better side. It was well for the Amateurs that their rear lines were possessed of the do-or-die spirit. Only on occasions in the second half did Queens escape the ordeal of pressure to indulge in sporadic attacks that really never looked like managing a score. Once they got within twenty yards of Dawson they faded out, thanks either to their own ineptitude or the superiority of the other fellows in counter moves. To the players, I have indicated that I would have liked had Rangers played a game worthy of champions. They did not. There were weaknesses in each division. Dawson was all right without being seriously troubled. Gray was the better back all through, McDonald only late in the game gave of his best. Meiklejohn was the superior of the three half-backs. Simpson made too many mistakes in kicking. He early on developed a slice and could not rid himself of it. Brown was often left in defence and was frequently out in his efforts to build up an attack. McPhail and Marshall were the best of the forwards. Archibald got chances galore to bring the house down, but only now and again dud he threatens danger. In the first half, especially he failed to get the ball across almost invariably banging it against an opponent. Fleming did not work in harmony with his inside man and attempted too much on his own. English was eager enough, but he often tried, by reason of his barging manner, to bite off more than he could chew. He was clever in the second half at taking up position, and his heading of the ball in a goal-ward direction was quite good. It must be said, however, that he never once got a grounder up the centre travelling to his feet. I have already said that the rear lines of Queens Park were the best, and in saying that I cannot offer any more bouquets to the Hampden eleven. Their forward line was of no avail. Not one of the five achieved anything outstanding. In point of fact, I say that if the front line had been on a par with the rest of the eleven as they played Rangers might still be looking for points to make the League Flag a certainty. One word more, I admired the play of Gillespie. How easy he made his position look in this game. He went through the ninety minutes at a walking speed, and yet he was always there.
