Blair 5
T Craig 25
Match Information
Attendance: 23,000
Referee: T Small (Dundee)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Fully 25,000 people saw Rangers checked by Third Lanark at Cathkin Park. The champions were never allowed to get into their stride, and although from start to finish the game was keenly and at times fiercely contested, there was little that was spectacular about the play. At times very rarely, I must admit, certain incidents took place which were leniently treated by the referee but taken on the whole it was a clean contest. From the very start I could see that the Cathkin men were imbued with a spirit to do something which might atone for some previous results. They were not only keen, but at times clever particularly on the wings. Once their half-backs had got a grip of the Ibrox forwards that attack began to make itself felt at Robb’s end of the field. Rangers of course were not idle. As a matter of fact, they were the first to be really dangerous. Morton took a free kick, which found the cross-bar, and when the ball came back Brown headed it away. But Rangers’ Archibald gained possession only to send the ball past. One could see that the Light Blues were not in their happiest vain. Perhaps it was because they found they weren’t allowed to do their usual clever things. Their schemes were often upset, and the upshot was that they were forced back on the defensive. With the result, that six minutes from the start the Warriors of Cathkin were one to the good. In a virile rally by the home forwards Robb was forced to concede a corner, and the ball was so well placed that Blair headed it into the net. This of course could not be to the liking of the Light Blues. Cunningham shot a ball over, and then an exciting incident to place round Broadley. To stop a fast ball, Williamson headed it, and was laid out. The referee allowed play to proceed, and Broadley held a fast shot from Morton. Rangers’ players dashed in as the goalkeeper lay and clutched the ball, and the incident ended when Meiklejohn rushed in and fouled Brown. Everything took place in less time than it takes to write it, but Williamson had been lying stretched out during the incident. After that he was assisted off and being attended to resumed. Rangers’ goal again almost fell when Reid just managed to get his head to a cross by Archibald, and then a solo run by Morton at the other end almost ended in a counter. At the end of Twenty-five minutes Rangers equalised. Henderson went through to be intercepted by Brown, who banged the ball against the Ibrox centre. Craig came in caught the rebound and after nicely tricking the defence, placed the ball past Broadley, who had no chance to save. Before the interval Rangers’ goal twice underwent narrow escapes from Reid crosses, but with it all there were chances at the other end as well. Third started the second half merrily and Rangers’ goal was lucky indeed to escape. Reid beat Craig and centred before Jamieson came to him. McInally who was in fairly good position, deceived Manderson, I think by not taking the ball. The Cathkin centre left it for Finlay, but oh! What a mull of his shot he made. This certainly ought to have been Cathkin’s leader, no matter what might have happened afterwards. Chalmers, who was very keen, just missed at Broadley’s end, and at the other Robb in saving a Reid corner sent the ball against a colleague, who was too close to him at the time. This might have been a loser. Chalmers again came into the picture with the best shot of the game, and at the same time he gave Broadley his best save. Catching the ball knee high, the Bellshill boy drove it hard away from the goalkeeper, who threw himself full length to effect a fine clearance. It was during the last quarter that a little feeling crept into the game. Two Rangers’ players were talked to by the referee, and if he had seen what a Cathkin man did, he probably would have had a word to say to him as well. I don’t think it would have been any more than taking, however. Third Lanark, I think, surprised most people by their display, and because of that there was an inclination to remark that they should have won. They might certainly but are they to be given credit for missing scoring chances. Surely not. They are entitled however to all praise for a whole-hearted exhibition, and I believe the Cathkin directors will be pleased to have witnessed this. It must not be forgotten that Rangers missed chances just as well as Third did, but none so glaring as that of Finlay. It was the chance of the game. Taking it all over, I consider the draw a result reflective of the general run of play. Regarding the players, there was none one could say who was really brilliant. Broadley had one great save, but he did not impress me as having great confidence in himself. At times he appeared nervy in his clearances. Robb was quite sound as he usually is. Of the four backs, the one I liked best of all was Brown. I honestly confess that I never had a great opinion of this Third Lanark defender, but he did well yesterday. He took no risks with Archibald, and never hesitated to play the ball out when he looked like having the worst of the deal, which was not too often. McGill, on the other side of the field, had even a harder task with Alan Morton, but he stuck to the little man all the time, and came out with credit. Of the Rangers’ pair I liked Manderson best, but one has to judge men’s play by the opposition they have to face. Jamieson found Reid at his best and was often beaten by speed. Walker struck me as the best half-back of the six, with the two centre half-backs – Dixon and Williamson – outstanding in defence. Frame has a good deal to learn, but he was a serviceable as Meiklejohn on the day’s showing. Craig came next to Walker for keen tackling, making the best use of the ball when he had it. Neither attack moved with that sweetness which one would like to see, and I believe that may be accounted for in some measure by the keenness of the tackling by the respective opposing half-back lines. At the beginning of the week, I heard someone say that Cairns would never be required so long as Chalmers played as he did against Partick Thistle. I didn’t see that game, but of one thing I am certain, Morton will not be the player he can be until Cairns is back. I don’t say that Chalmers was a failure yesterday, but the other man, will be back in the team as soon as possible. At least I know what I would do. Morton found McGill easy to get clear of, and on the other side of the field Archibald, as I have indicated, was made to look like very ordinary. He had lots of the ball, too but many of his intended crosses found an opponent’s body. Cunningham did much that was clever, but found little response for his work, Henderson never striking his best game throughout. The best forward of the ten was Reid. I haven’t seen him play so week for many days, but yesterday he showed what is in him. He was well supported by Blair and McInally also made lots of fine openings got him. Finlay will require to learn to get rid of the ball for Archibald suffered because his individual, and very often, unsuccessful tactics. The outside left was only seen to advantage in the first half.
