Muirhead 22
Hansen 60
Red Cards
J Walker sent off
Match Information
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Russell
Matchday: Tuesday
Match Trivia
It was a rousing tussle at Cathkin yesterday. There was lots of splish-splash on the mucky surface – that was inevitable – but it was a rare good game to watch. In the circumstances it was unfortunate that there should have been one very black fly in the ointment. Jamie Walker of the ‘Third’ was ordered off. The Cathkin half-back committed himself – mildly, I grant you – but surely his punishment very much more than fitted his crime, Mr Russell. Of course, Walker may have been cautioned before, but, if he was, his ‘telling off’ escaped my notice. And others had a word or two from the referee, but really, you could hardly look for anything else at such a pace was the game carried out. It was a battle. Rangers, the more cohesive side, had the better of the exchanges to begin with, and were just about due the first half lead given them by Tom Muirhead, following Alan Morton being brought down. Walls’ free-kick was headed home by Tommy, with Hansen sprawling in close proximity to Muir. It was a fine goal, taken midway through the first half. That was the only thing tangible before the interval. After that it looked as if the Rangers, in their team clean new greeny-blue clothes, would consolidate their position, which they did – fifteen minutes after the restart. Hansen, when perilously near to being offside, broke away on his own, beat McCormack, and flashed the ball in low down. There didn’t seem to be much behind it, but it got across Muir and entered his net off his left-hand upright. Rangers, two up now, were on velvet. But not for long. Up at the other end there was a corner -kick and a scramble, and before the mess was cleared, Frank Walker had whisked the ball past Robb. Then a newly-born Third Lanark – an even better ‘Third’ than they had been in the earlier stages. Rangers crowed on all sail, and the Dane crushed through alone to let fly at Muir, but against this McInally sent one or two fine balls to his own left., and a teaser Robb-wards. Then Alex Reid, lying well out, tried his luck, and found it in. Alex’s right foot shot got right through the crowd and home – off Robb’s right-hand post. We had twenty minutes to go yet, and before the close both goals ran narrow escapes, but nothing further of consequence happed. A grand shot from McIlwraith was foozled by Robb just before that unfortunate Jamie Walker incident, and the minutes prior to the final whistle teemed with incident. A glorious Meiklejohn shot was blocked somehow, another from Dixon almost knocked McCormack’s head off, and amidst shouts for a penalty, Alan Morton was carried off. Then the finish of a game that teemed with thrills and clever incidents, punctuated at intervals with things that should not have been. I liked Willie Robb’s saving in the first half, but in the second once or twice the Rangers’ keeper was a bit wobbly. Reid was the better of two quite good Ibrox backs, and Meiklejohn and Dixon were always in evidence in the middle. Jamie Walls made quite a good beginning, even if he tapered off a bit towards the close. Cairns was grand, Muirhead clever to a degree, was always where he should be, and ready for a pop; Carl Hansen was something of a mixture. But the great little Dane at times caused the other fellows furiously to think. He is a wonderful little bit of wriggly stuff, who never knows when he is beaten. Carl gets his kicks in when least expected. George Henderson did very nicely in Alec Archibald’s place, and in the first half particularly, Alan Morton was splendid. We saw quite a lot of the old Alan. For ‘the Third’ Muir kept a good goal; McCormack, if a bit hefty on occasion, and Orr were resolute backs, and if none of the half was brilliant every man-jack pulled his weight. After a long absence, Bobby Knox, once of Airdrie, was anything but a passenger. In front I was delighted with Alex Reid, Stewart, McIlwraith and Tommy McInally in that order. McIlwraith is one of the best young fellows who has come in the game this season. He can collect the ball, after he beats his man, he can centre it; he can shoot. What more do you want? Frank Walker was a bit uneven; and Hillhouse – well, the old Albion Rovers was anything but a ‘dud’
