A Venters 75
J Smith 83
Match Information
Attendance: 16,000
Referee: J Baillie (Motherwell)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Give the first half the curtain. Lets have the spotlight on the second half. All the neat was in it, and it was quite a tasty dish for a dull day. St Mirren came on a mile after the turn round. So did Rangers. They took each other blows and hit back so that you never could tell what was going to happen to Dawson or McCloy. What did happen was rather a bad one for St Mirren. The second half had lasted 30 minutes when, the Paisley left-wing defence being at fault, Thornton got the ball across to Venters, who was all by his lonesome and promptly beat McCloy. I thought Venters was off-side but we might have been deceived by the fact that st Mirrens defence had mostly been drawn across to the other side. Anyhow, the referee showed no hesitation in awarding the goal and the Saints took the rebuff sportingly. I liked that. All the same, it was just as well that Rangers got a second, and there was no dubiety about it. Venters, for perhaps the hundredth time, and Kinnear away. The winger pranced down the wing at top speed, centred at the right time, and Smith, who had followed up through the centre, flicked the ball into the net without stopping it the kind of clean-cut goal you like to see. Even then, the Saints went out to save the game, and I can tell you the Rangers defence was often hard put to it. But though Dawson had to make some real Dawsonian saves, I must charge the Saints forwards with failing as marksmen when their chances were best. A goal win would have done rangers justice. They held the winning card in the two on the left. The play of Venters and Kinnear in the second half was bright light of the game although a word is due McPhail for his strong-forcing work in first half and his surprise cross-field passes. Young Thornton found the heavy going against him. We shall see him at his beat when playing on the top of the ground. He and Smith changed places in the second half, and Smiths goal justified the change although his injured head clearly caused him to take no undue risks. Both McKillop and Winning showed surprising staying power. Along with Dawson and the back they had often their work cut out in the second half for the Paisley forwards made quick headway in spasms. Both wings let out well but McGregor not the only sinner lacked the snappy finish. McCloy kept a good goal. Up against the best wing on the field, Murray stood his ground but Craven too often miskicked. A valuable defensive half-back was Cunningham, and both Kelly and Miller lost no chance of forcing the play.
