Sowerby
W Reid <45
Match Information
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: G.W. Hamilton (Motherwell)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
If you set out with the inexorable claim that men paid to play football ought to make good under any al all conditions, then I grant you the match at Ibrox Park was not entitled to be passed A1 at Lloyds. But even Lloyds has got to allow something for weather effects, and so I would say that Rangers and St Mirren put up a game that was a credit to both. Undoubtedly the better team won. But while that is true, it is equally the case that St Mirren were not flattered by the result. Rangers won by one, and that was the simply and sole measure of their superiority. From the way the game was played I believe the prevalence of the half gale told more against Rangers. They were the aggressive force during the greater part of the first half, but that was not altogether in their favour. By swaying the St Mirren defenders back on their goal, Rangers were setting themselves to face a phalanx of opposition that was as difficult to penetrate because of its mere solid presence as from its active hostility to the Light Blue attack. It lay with the Rangers’ inside forwards to open up the game, but they entirely failed to do that, and so shots from all quarters encountered St Mirren impediments before ever getting the length of O’Hagan. That was nearly the first half tale told, but not quite. Elmore and his wings had snapped at every chance of breaking prison so to speak, and on every occasion of the sort, they had to be reckoned with. It came about that in one of these well-designed raids Gray cleverly eluded Robertson, and got across a ball that landed right on the goal line. Gibson held it, but Kyle came in on him, and though he failed to finish off the attacking movement. Sowerby, who also came in with a rush, was more successful, and practically kicked the ball out of the custodian’s hands into the net. Rangers put a pinch more pepper into their play after this, and following repeated failures. Paterson deftly made an opening for Reid to equalise with a sort of side-step shot close in on goal. So it was 1-1- at crossing over, and that a fair position. It took Rangers some seven minutes of the second half to score the winning goal. From first to last, it was a point similar to St Mirren goal. Gordon ran down the right wing centred. The ball fell at the feet of O’Hagan and Smith, and a short, sharp duel saw the Rangers’ winger leap over the custodian and the ball along with him. After this Rangers had slightly the best of manners, but St Mirren were never beaten until the whistle went. They were on the verge of scoring more than once, and I imagine that Logan and his co-defenders would say that they want no more nervous thrills than they got here. St Mirren have the best team that has sported the colours for some years. They have improved in attack since I saw them last. Gray plays a skilful game on the right, and Kyle in this game kept opening out the play in a way that Bowie and Goodwin would have done well to copy. Elmore was more than a handful for Logan who was unusually slow at times in getting the ball away. I consider Logan often goes too far forward for the safety of his goal, but he seen to be one of those who believe that the best form of defence is attack. That does not always held with a half-back. All the St Mirren Halves were effective spoilers, and that was nearly all that was asked on a day like this. Both Reid and Snoddy fought a rare fight. The rival supporters looking on enjoyed nothing better than to foot to foot tussles between Reid and Smith. The evergreen one had a hard row to toe, nut he got there at last and won the game. Bowie was not a good partner to him for he passed rashly on many occasions. In fact, Paterson and Smith were the only Rangers’ forwards who stood the test. I was delighted with the play of Paterson. I knew him as a schoolboy, and he has developed faster than his most hopeful friends predicted. Watch him, and you will see a player with instinctive skill. His action is decisive, which shows that he has a mind quick to answer to the demands of the occasion. He is always playing the game. So far, he has no use for the gallery. The only other feature that impressed me was Robertson’s play at left back. Against the wind, no one kicked so sure a ball, nor one so strong. His judgment was sound always. So Herbert Lock’s estimate may be the correct one
