The Aberdeen 2 - 2 Victoria United

In a Rhodesia Cup tie, Aberdeen and Victoria United met before a very large attendance at Pittodrie Park on Saturday. Hail was falling when the following players toed the lines on the call of Mr. Dickson, Wishaw:- Aberdeen: Bisset; Walker, McHardy; J. Mackie, Thomson, Murphy; Shiach, Taylor, Woodlock, Breslin, Barron. Victoria United: R. Murray; Bremner, Craig; R. Ritchie, A. Murray, Robertson; Knowles, Duncan, Macdonald, Ferries, G. Ritchie.

Aberdeen had the best of the game for some time, and Murray had to be on the qui vive. The Vics' right had a pretty run the whole length of the field, and Knowles sent an accurate pass to centre, but A. Murray skimmed the cross-bar with a fast shot. The Blues besieged Bisset, but the goalkeeper was on his best behaviour, and saved time and again. Ferries sent in a shot with sledge-hammer force, which the custodian stopped on all fours on the line. Bisset cleared splendidly at the expense of a corner in an exciting scrimmage. Barron then had a solo run, but Woodlock failed to take advantage of his cross. Aberdeen were dangerous till half-time, but neither side scored.

Five minutes after the restart Bremner accidentally kicked through his own goal, and Woodlock almost immediately added a second point. The United roused themselves, and Duncan with a fast grounder scored from far out. Play became full of dash, and a fast pace was maintained. Ding-dong play was the order of the day, and the ball travelled from end to end with great rapidity, both goals running narrow escapes. From a corner, G. Ritchie equalised, the leather ricocheting off Bisset's upraised hand on to the inside of the upright and into the net. A few minutes later the referee stopped the game fifteen minutes from time on account of darkness. The match was a very good one, the play being of a high order, scientific touches and pretty combination play in the open characterising the play.

Source: Aberdeen Journal, 8th December 1902

N.B. Replayed 17th January 1903.