G Henderson 5
T Cairns
A Cunningham
Match Information
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: J Bell (Dundee)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Plenty if goals at Ibrox Park – yes. But there was not enough football – first-class football. Rangers defended St Mirren by five clear goals. It savours of a rout, but it wasn’t. It also savours of a brilliant Rangers’ victory, but it wasn’t that either. The League champions were not a long way ahead of the Saints in actual play, and the game was often as drab as the weather – stretches of pottering play relieved now and again by patches of bright and breezy football. The result was not in keeping with the ebb and flow. Rangers carried a punch and were snappers-up of chances. The Saints hadn’t a punch; they were not opportunists, and only once in the encounter did Robb get a decent drive with which to deal. It was by Lawson, whose shot brought the Ranger to his knees. Rangers’ goals were all good – taken finely, worked for cleverly. The first was scored in five minutes. Archibald passed to Cairns, he gave to Henderson, and the centre forward almost sandwiched by the backs, half-turned adroitly, and the ball was planted prettily in the net. Five minutes more! Another goal! This time the moves were Archibald, Cunningham, Henderson and Cairns – quick, first time passing – and Tommy tipped the ball away from Bradford and home. Twenty-eight minutes of dreich stuff followed; then came Tommy Muirhead’s goal – a peach of a thing. I think it surprised even Tommy. Near the halfway line Alan Morton threw the ball in. Muirhead got it, manipulated it for a yard or two, and then, from thirty-five out, let r-r-r-rip. The ball screamed, so fast did it fly-fly away from Bradford to strike the far post, bound back and across the goal, and lodge in the net. Bradford’s face was a study of dumbfounderment; Muirhead’s was a study of pure delight. We got another Cairns’ goal thirty minutes after the interval. Play in the interregnum was sometimes wickedly weak. It was the period when Rangers’ form touched its nadir, and when St Mirren, if they had had a punch and a leader would have counted. Morton, Muirhead and Henderson worked the ball close in. Cairns took up position perfectly, got the ball, and biffed it beautifully into the net. Then Andy Cunningham would up the scoring with a snap shot. He was on a pass from the right like a hawk, and Bradford was again. And here let me say that Andy was the best of the Rangers’ forwards. His passing was generally well timed and on the floor. Archibald was the least effective of the five. He did more crude things then cultured ones, because he tried to do too much. Most of his passes went to opponents. In comparison Saint Lawson was well ahead of him with better footwork and passes, which generally were precise. Although getting five goals, the Light Blues’ van was not impressive as a unified line. Henderson was thrusty, but only now and again clever as a binder of wings. Cairns was fitful, full of flight; not at his best. Nor did Morton touch his true form. He seemed to be obsessed by Findlay, the Saints’ slap-dash, first time, anyhow back. And Findlay beat him far oftener that he beat the Saint. If Findlay would cultivate repose and anticipation, he’d be a bright star. St Mirren had the best half-back on view – Summers. The Saints’ mid-line was about as good as the Rangers. Meiklejohn was the best Light Blue half, with Muirhead not far behind. Dixon gave Skinner too much rope, but the youngster wasn’t cute enough to take it. He will one day. Rangers’ backs had not a heavy task against a somewhat rickety van. And Robb, with only one teaser to tackle, wasn’t worried. Bradford was worried, not by constant attackers, but by forward who got there. I don’t think he could have saved one of the five counters. Perhaps it was a good thing for the Saints that the champions were not in top-notch form, seeing that they went nap on a middling hand. Twenty odd thousand people looked on.
