McInally 58
G Henderson 63, 87
Match Information
Attendance: 27,000
Referee: P Craigmyle (Aberdeen)
Matchday: Wednesday
Match Trivia
Rangers scraped their way into the Glasgow Cup final at Ibrox Park yesterday evening before a 27,000 crowd. Scraped is the right word, because it Third Lanark had finished on equal terms with their conquerors no fair-minded party would have cavilled at the result. Under perfect conditions overhead and underfoot, we saw a more strenuous than brilliant fight. Flashes of bright play cropped up now and again, but really the business of the evening was work, and hard work at that, rather than play. To begin with, the Rangers had the better of matters and continued to have the pull for a good quarter of an hour. Early on the ‘Light Blue’ came within an ace of scoring. After a low-down shot from Cunningham had been cleared by Brownlie, Alan Morton almost caught the big fellow napping. A free-kick taken by Morton found the Cathkin keeper in two minds, but he got the ball away cleverly enough ultimately, and a very awkward situation was saved. McInally got down on Robb on occasion, and Alec Reid flashed across a few smart centres, but the more dangerous work in the earlier stages, as I have said, was in the vicinity of Brownlie. Coming near to the middle of the half ‘the Third’ came more into the picture, and right up to the interval were slightly the superior side. A splendid long try from Reid flew across Robb’s goalmouth, but when the turn about arrived the game stood as it started, with if anything, the balance of play resting with Third Lanark. With the wind now the Rangers came again, and Archibald racing clear, missed a top-hole chance by not getting enough of the ball when making his final effort. Cunningham and Morton both sent in scorchers, to find an unfriendly foot come in the way of either; then a fruitless ‘Third’ corner-kick was forced by Alec Reid. If the Cathkin attack wasn’t of the sweet-moving order hereabout it was of the description that was difficult to stall off. At any rate, the Ibrox half-backs were very often in ‘Queer Street’. McInally was doing nothing very special, but he happened to be on the right spot to open the scoring. From Frank Walker the ball came into the middle; it was not gathered by the centre just as it should be. But McInally was allowed a fraction of a second to recover his balance, and this concession proved fatal to Robb. The ex-Celtic centre-forward’s shot found its billet off one of Robb’s hands. This reverse coming 14 minutes after the restart was a staggerer for the Rangers, but they stuck in with all their might. McCormack cleared from Archibald and Meiklejohn shot over; ‘the Third’ were lying back instead of going forward. And this lack of enterprise when they held the lead, lost them it, and probably the tie. Another of Archibald’s specials came across, Henderson got a foot to it, and the ball bumped home just inside Brownlie’s right-hand upright. There were still twenty-five minutes left to play, and With McInally limping on the left touch-line now, things looked rosier for the Rangers. And bow a little bit of luck came their way. Just outside the centre circle a Cunningham pass, or shot, or something, was kicked down by Orr, and the ball got behind on McCormack’s side. Alan Morton’s ‘corner’ was nicely taken, and Henderson lying unmarked, ‘headed’ the ball into the net. Twenty minutes more to play, there was no betting – the rubber we might have had somewhere this afternoon was not to be. So, we all thought, but how near we were to being all wrong! At two-and-a-half minutes to go Frank Walker in some mysterious way – off his own shoulders, I think – got the ball into the middle. Cullen, who was deputising now for McInally, was in A1 position, but the ball did not some kindly to him. He had to try his luck first time or lose his opportunity, and he let go as best he could. Robb was beaten, but luckily for the “Light Blues” that Cullen was just a trifle offside. On either side the forward work was nothing to go into raptures about. Alec Archibald and Alec Reid got across lots of clever balls, but both at times were just in too big a hurry to get rid of it. It isn’t always the correct thing to get rid of it as if it were a red-hot brick. And Frank Walker, who, when occupying the inside berth, now he is working on the touch-line, was in as big a hurry to get rid of it as the two Alecs. We saw glimpses of the real Alan Morton, but over the piece his game was far short of his best. Neither McInally nor Henderson were great centre-forward – far from it. But Tommy and George got the three goals between them, and finding the net covers a multitude of sins. Young Paton showed some smart touches, but his passes were far too often to the short side. You must hit it harder, Paton. Take your cue from Tommy Carins, the hardest worker and the best forward afield. Neither half-back line was outstanding. I preferred ‘the Third’ trio and Wilson most of the half-dozen. If a trifle slow, the ex-Cambuslang boy did very well indeed. In the first-half particularly, all the Cathkin intermediated sailed into their men with rare abandon, and behind them McCormack was a sound as a bell. Indeed, I question if Charley ever played a better game in his career. Orr kicked a first-rate ball; Bobby did not get on terms with his partner did; still he rendered his side good service. Both Ibrox backs were safe, with McCandless the more polished and better.
