Nicholson 34
B McPhail 40
Nicholson 76
Match Information
Attendance: 113,403
Referee: MC Hutton (Glasgow)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Rangers, by their smashing victory at Hampden, established themselves as one of the most brilliant combined in Scottish football since pre-war days. In every movement, in skill, in determination, in opportunism, they clearly outpointed St Mirren. Their five goals victory eloquently indicates the measure of their superiority. St Mirren failed to recapture even one minute of the flashing play that carried them through against Motherwell in the semi-final at Tynecastle. They themselves and their representatives who spoke at the presentation of the Cup after the game acknowledged the Light Blue might which staggered and shattered them. Gone were all hoped of a St Mirren victory, gone even the chance of a draw, when Davie Meiklejohn guessed correctly the fall of the coin. With that fast wind in their favour, and with a blinding sun to bemuse St Mirren, Rangers had an advantage that was worth a bundle of goals. The luck that no one could anticipate fell to Rangers. It is idle to speculate what might have happened had St Mirren won the toss. I simply must face the game as I saw it. For more than half-an-hour St Mirrens gallant defenders held Rangers at bay. There was. However, one weak link in the Saints defensive chain. Miller very seldom reproduced the live-wire tactics that earned him his Wembley cap. Slow in tackling and often out of position, he must have conveyed to the general of Light Blues side Meiklejohn the impression that he was off colour. Despite Ancells early successful attention to Main, I anticipated that most danger would develop on that right wing. Yet after the half-hour the danger actually developed on the left, where Hay and Gebbie had courageously held McPhail and Nicholson in check. Danger remained there till the interval. After that it switched over to the right, where Main took charge. Then it flitted about, prodding now Marshall, now Smith, now McPhail, and never once alighting on a Paisley player unless we consider that Miller received a touch when he hit the strongest shot of the match towards Tom Hamilton. At half-time my colleague Brigadier remarked to me, Rangers will play better against the wind. You will see more control. And it was so. The Light Blues played the football that charms. With more convincing opposition we would probably have had a memorable second half. As it was, the impoverished play of the Saints forwards robbed the match of any quality it may have possessed in the opening half-hour, and justified Chairman Flemings remark at the Cup presentation: Mr Fred Linder, of Aston Villa, came North to see his first Scottish Cup final. I wonder Why! Nicholsons opening goal resulted from a fierce ball that might have found the net direct, but that was deflected by Ancells shoulder. The second was secured by the ever-ready McPhail, after Nicholson had shot in. McPhails deft kick into the net is the kind of thing that stamps a man as a master. All hoped of St Mirren rejuvenation after the interval were dispelled when Miller blundered badly and let Main away to score brilliantly. This player in every move in the second half must have set Director Alan Morton jumping with joy, metaphorically. Here, on the right wing, we saw Alan himself again. The fourth goal might not have been scored but for silly hesitation on the part of at least one St Mirren defender. When Marshall, boring through, was grassed in the penalty area, a Saint sinned by turning to indicate to the referee that there had been no foul in the incident. Just then Jimmy Smith stepped in and very easily sped the ball well out of McCloys reach. Nicholson capped an excellent days work when he smartly added the fifth after an inviting cross from Main. In a team which contained many stars, George Brown of Rangers stood out. On many occasions I have criticised Brown for his failure to assist his full-back thoroughly. This time he was the complete half-back, not merely checking an opponent, but also most times securing the ball in a tackle and then advancing with a definite purpose. Brown certainly earned the bouquet. His display, and that of others on the side, is a material argument in favour of fixing the big internation game for a date after the Scottish and English finals. Tom Hamilton accomplished all that was required and that was mighty little in Rangers goal. Gray and McDonald were not merely defending full-backs. They placed the ball brainily, particularly in the second half, when a hard-hit ball would have been blown back. Meiklejohn played the veteran part skilfully. His value is inestimable. Simpson seldom figured obtrusively. His was simply the watchmans part. Right well he acted! Brown, I have mentioned. Were not the bouquet to go to Brown, Main would get it. Gere again we must regret that the international came before the Cup final. If the Scottish team were to be selected this afternoon, almost evert man of Rangers would be favourite for a place and Main would be one of the first to be selected. Marshall appeared in an entirely different light from that of Wembley. His understanding with Main provided a noteworthy feature. His pass for that third goal was as neat as Mains culminating shot. Smith found a ready opponent in Wilson. The centre-half compelled the centre to wheel right or left, but usually Smith succeeded in applying an adroit touch that gave Marshall or McPhail, or either winger, a chance to make progress. Smith was a big success. McPhail recovered all his form. In harassing, in passing, in shooting, he showed that his rest has restored his energy. Nicholson, I have seldom seen do better. He had a powerful adversary in Hay, but in the end, he was master of that doughty defender. McCloy, I do not blame in any way. This lad had the hardest days work of his career. On several occasions he saved brilliantly. Hay and Ancell clearly transcended the other sections if the Saints team. Wilson, I consider the best of the halfs. Ubiquitous and daring, he intervened as often on the wings as in the centre. I have never seen him do better. Gebbie topped Miller in both an attacking and a defending sense. What can I say about the Saints forwards, save that I was extremely disappointed. I found no excuse for the useless Knox-Latimer switch (operated three times during the game) till I learned from a leading St Mirren forward that Latimer was not up to par before the match. Even so, Knox would have been better on the wing all the time if he was to be good at all. His free-kicks one across and past, low, and the other over the bar, were far from his usual type. McGregor was much too light for the task at centre. The sturdier McCabe made a slightly better shape towards the end when he accepted the leading berth, and indeed he was the only Paisley forward with punch throughout the game. Phillips had far too much to do when facing Meiklejohn and the quick-stepping Gray. The light-haired winger could beat one man cleverly, but in a few yards, he was confronted by a second, and had not the ability of Main to turn or to dart past.
