McAlpine
Dr Marshall 30, pen 54, pen 74
Match Information
Attendance: 14,000
Referee: M.C. Hutton (Glasgow)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
For half the game at Ibrox, in the Glasgow Charity Cup semi-final, Queens Park made a bold fight even if the play ran definitely against them. In the second half the Amateurs were outpointed, and Rangers finished good and deserved winners. There was nothing more remarkable in the match than the goalkeeping of Smith. To him Queens Park owed their scoring equality at the interval, and even afterwards he did all one man could possibly do to defy a superior team. Two of the goals he last the second-half ones were from penalty kicks. Rangers had it in all-round team play, in the ability of half-backs and forwards to find the man, but the Amateurs defence, apart from Smith, was resolute to a degree, and the only things they gave away were the penalties which, being converted, were of course, vital. The strain, however, was bound to tell. The presence of F Kail, the English amateur International forward, in the Queens Park front line gave the tie a special point of interest. When he was getting the ball in the first half, he showed some delightful touches. His ball control was very clever, and he invariably sent the ball out to Bremner or through the centre low and accurately. In the second half he, like the other Hampden forwards, came into the game only fitfully, but everyone present was, I am certain, pleased to see a player of Kails stamp wearing Queens Park colours. On a hard pitch and with a light ball in the first half, the players were sometimes puzzled, but Rangers for ten minutes kept swinging in on the Queens Park defence, and then they lost a goal. McAlpine cut in well and shot low and hard. Hamilton was positioned to save, but Simpson, in trying to stop the ball with his foot, merely deflected it out of the goalkeepers reach into the net. Smiths goal had to withstand a severe onslaught, and it was wonderful the escapes it had. A shot was going through when Walker, under the bar, managed to kick away for a corner. This being well placed, Marshall shot, and Smith effected one of the finest saves of the game by punching over the bar. Rangers spell of aggression lasted for some time, and then the Queens Park forwards opened out again, and from a movement through the centre, Hamiltons goal had a thrilling escape. Either Dodds or Koal might have got in a second blow. It was a lively even tussle now, but Rangers forwards were always signalling danger, and after 29 minutes, English, going in fast, headed a ball from the right to Marshall, who took it in his stride, beat two opponents, and shot into the net. Rangers had the best of it until the interval, but the amateurs had every credit by the stern manner in which they had fought out the game. A heavy fall of sleet just on the restart altered the conditions, and told in Rangers favour, who were stronger and easily more cohesive. But the amateurs might have gone ahead again, for Bremner twice cut in Smartly, but shot over the bar on the first occasion, and on the second, made a faulty pass across the goal. These two escapes put Rangers on their mettle. McDonald and Brown got the forwards going, and in a sharp attack, English was thrown when he jumped to head the ball. Marshall converted the penalty-kick. For a long time afterwards the Queens Park forwards could not get a share of the ball, but their defence was as valiant as ever. Smith saved a great drive by Marshall, and both were cheered. Another bright period for the Hampden forwards which might have led to something tangible but for magnificent back play by Gray and headwork by Simpson was followed by a determined thrust by the Ibrox front line. Walker fisted the ball with opponents around him, and again Marshall converted. Compared with what Smith had to do, Tom Hamilton was a spectator, and he had no chance with the deflected shot that beat him. Gray was a perfect back, and R Hamilton did pretty well in view of his long absence from the first team. He found Bremner sufficiently difficult to grapple with, for the Hampden man, in a new role, could feint and take the ball with him. McDonald and Brown were two clever forcing half-backs, who were specially effective in the second half. Simpson got through a lot of useful defence with head and feet. Rangers forwards were the stronger lot, and now and again, they served up some pretty rounds of passing. Meiklejohn could kill the ball and judge his passes just as you would expect a player of his experience to do. Marshall was a voracious worker. His first goal was a good effort, and he made no mistakes with the penalties. Archibald put across some tempting centres and English was always there, but a little unlucky. Fleming was rather fond of holding to the ball, but he was often dangerous. In front Smith, Campbell and Walker stood their ground gallantly. The Hampden half-backs had to fight a hard battle, and it is little wonder if they tried. When the opportunity arose, Gardiner and Grant could bring their forwards into action, but the latter did not always hold together. McAlpine and Bremner were the driving force.
