Stewart 7
Gillick 12
Match Information
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: J Leggat (Coatbridge)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
It is a long time since I witnessed a football game under such depressing conditions as those which prevailed at Ibrox yesterday, when Glasgow was given its first opportunity of passing a verdict on St Johnstone, the League leaders. The pitch was soddened, and rain fell heavily at frequent intervals, while fog rolled up and, in the second half particularly, almost obscured the players so far as those occupying the heights of the Press Box were concerned. There were times when it was an impossibility to follow the flight of the ball, and the players were mere shadows that flitted here and there in the grey atmosphere. It was only in the last five minutes that Rangers won the game and their victory I attribute chiefly to their physical power and strength of endurance. The tenseness of the struggle certainly deserved more than an attendance of twenty thousand. The first-half was the better of the two, and in that period St Johnstone greatly impressed. Every man played well, and with an almost perfect understanding with one another. The Saints scored first, in seven minutes. Harry Ferguson got the ball on the right side of the midfield line and worked his way up to within about twenty-five yards of goal, where he squared a delightful ground pass to Stewart. The centre swerved, and on doing so, deceived Simpson. Almost on the eighteen-yards line, Stewart saw a clear passage to the net and sent the ball low and true past Dawsons left side. Five minutes afterwards, the score was level. Rangers did the bulk of the pressing, chiefly down the right wing, and Main repeatedly sent over tempting-looking crosses. Ultimately, Gillick got his head to one, and the ball went wide out of Wylies reach. Wylie had twice to throw himself at the feet of Gillick, while Stewart was given glorious chances to score. On two occasions he showed Simpson a clean pair of heels, and anyone would have laid handsome odds he would net as he went careering on with only Dawson to beat. Wylie got more balls to save than Dawson this half, but he was not any more busy, for the simple reason that Dawson repeatedly had to come into action to deal with a pass=back. I never saw a Rangers defence play such safety tactics. Frankly, I cannot tell you much about the second-half, because, as in have said, the fog almost concealed everything, but I can tell you about the goals. It seemed to me, before Rangers second was scored, that the Perth boys were feeling the strain of battle. Welsh found himself in a bit of a quandary when trying to intercept a forward passing movement between the Rangers left wing couple and kicked the ball in an attempt to knock it into touch. Instead, the leather flew off his boot at an angle, and went for a corner. Smith placed it right across the goal, and Venters bent his head to turn it into the net. In the last ten seconds, Brown sent Smith off. The big fellow ran on to the goal-line before slipping the ball over and Venters running in, met it to score again. I dont think Rangers will persevere with smith at outside-left. I have seen Venters more effective. Gillick was a nippy leader, McPhail was only prominent at long intervals, and Mains best period was in the first-half. Brown was the best of the half-backs, Simpson not so stolid in defence as usual, and there were times when Meiklejohn was a bit puzzled by the cantrips of the wings it was his duty to stop. Meek, however, sent many delightful passes forward. The rear trio were as safe as usual, the backs showing their accustomed intelligence in anticipation and cleanness in kicking. St Johnstone proved that their present elevated position is no false one. It is perhaps unfair to pick out some from their neighbours, but I must confess to being greatly intrigued with the skilful play of the two wing half-backs, Mason and H Ferguson. Between them was Littlejohn, who is classed as reserve player. Moulds must be a champion. The backs were not one whit behind the Rangers pair in ability, with Clark, so far as I am concerned, making the bigger appeal. Forward there is skill in abundance, although I would like to see more devil in their finishing. Stewart is capable leader, but he is guilty of trying too much on his own. I think that if he had distributed the ball more to his wing men, he would have found things more profitable. Davidson has found his form again, but there were times when he should have held the ball a little longer and allowed his partner to take up position. St Johnstone are a team who believe in playing the purer type of football. May they go on to the success that such a style thoroughly deserves.
