Aberdeen 4 - 0 Inverness Citadel

Inverness Citadel were the visitors at Pittodrie on Saturday, and engaged with the Aberdeen First League team in a friendly game. The weather was pleasant, and there was a fairly large turnout of spectators. Teams:-

Aberdeen: Mutch; Colman, Philip (Peterhead); Davidson, McIntosh, Low; Hay, Simpson, Niblo, O'Hagan, Lennie.
Inverness: D. Jack; D. Fraser, C. Ross; J. Robertson, R. MacKenzie, J. Gardiner; J. Cameron, C. MacGregor, W. MacDonald, J. MacDonald, Colin Ross.
Referee - Mr. Bremner.

From the very commencement Aberdeen took the game in hand, and it was early evident that they were in a sportive mood. Lennie and O'Hagan quickly made progress on the left, and their movements, as usual, were productive of humour. The attack was all at one end, and after Simpson missed a great chance of scoring, the front line came back, and overwhelm the visiting defence. Niblo ended the pressure with a terrific drive into the net. Although Lennie had not things all his own way with Fraser, the winger had some sparkling runs, and from one of these he centred to O'Hagan, who placed the sphere over the line. The ball was behind the post, but the custodian scooped it out, and play went on without an award, much to the amusement of the crowd, who were not goal-greedy. The citadel made their first invasion of the Aberdeen Territory, and Cameron, from the right margin, dropped in a beauty, which tested Mutch considerably. Hay and Simpson, along with Niblo, were responsible for the next point, the pivot catching up a centre, and, after forcing a passage through the defence, driving straight and hard for goal. Lennie was running well, and on two occasions his forcible shooting forced the custodian to go back over the line, but the unimportance of the event and the assured superiority of Aberdeen probably led the crowd to make no claim. It was purely a case of defensive work so far as the visitors were concerned, and Fraser and Ross stood up well to their work, while Jack did extremely well in goal. The home right wing gave O'Hagan a chance to get number three, and he did so in a manner that would have beat any keeper.

Niblo took his place at outside left and Lennie went into the pivots position when the teams resumed. The homesters slackened their efforts considerably, with the result that the strangers were more often at the local end and in the first half. W. Macdonald tried hard to get through, but the support from his wings was poor, and the attack generally was too ragged to overcome the cuteness of Colman. Phillip, the Peterhead lad, gave a creditable display, but his game was more characteristic of a half than a back. After a period of uninteresting encounters between the home defence and the opposing forwards, Aberdeen set up a siege at Jack's end, where the keeper frequently showed brilliant saving powers. Many shots were rained in, but, on the other hand, Lennie at centre, proved his unsuitability for his new position but deliberately kicking out when presented with opportunities. Only once for the visitors like scoring, and that was when Cameron sent in are rare oblique shot from the margin of the field, which Mutch just held under the bar. In the closing minutes of the game Niblo made headway on the left, and rushed the ball in to Lennie, who gently placed it over the line.

Source: Aberdeen Daily Journal, 26th April 1909

The Citadel at Pittodrie.

Several charity games have yet to be played at Pittodrie before Aberdeen finally close up for the season, yet their last official home game was played on Saturday with Inverness Citadel. This team has a fine reputation in the Highlands, but they did not keep it up at Pittodrie. The attendance was small for a finish up, and the teams were out for an exhibition game. Within a few minutes from the start, the custodian had to save several great shots from Lennie and O'Hagan, while a fine movement culminated in Simpson opening the score. In quick succession, Niblo had two lovely goals to his credit, and the Inverness players seemed to lose heart, and set themselves to stop scoring. Aberdeen went in for fancy work, making patterns round the defence without any serious effort at scoring. With an attempt to solve the centre forward problem, a change in the forward line was made in the second half, Lennie going centre and Niblo outside left. The latter would make a fine left-winger, but Lennie made a bit of a joke of his position at centre, though he scored the fourth goal because he could not help it. The game ended 4-0 in favour of Aberdeen, and, in looking at the players, we did not observe anything of outstanding ability on the visitors' side. With good training, some of them might be made something of, but the majority were not class enough. Philip, who made a first appearance for Aberdeen, shaped very well, and is worth another trial. He made one or two faulty kicks, but he never wasted a ball, while, if he appeared a bit slow at times, this could be improved on with good training.

Chatty Bits.

This week will be an anxoius one to clum managers who have signatatees to get to complete their teams.
It would appear that changes will be a feature in most teams bar the Celts.
Henry Low has not yet signed for Sunderland. As he seemed to be quite satisfied with the Wearsiders, they will be disappointed if he departs.
Plenty clubs would jump at Henry if they get the chance, but we fancy Sunderland will not part with him so readily without a strong effort to retain him.
Celts require to get two wins and two draws this week or three wins to heat Dundee's score for the League Championship.
There is sure to he a big crowd at Pittodrie on Saturday to see the last big game of the season.
The Celts have promised to have out their full team bar accidents.
We do not observe that James Gault has signed for West Ham, and a Torry correspondent writes to say that he ie coming home for good.
Charlie Thomson has signed again for Sunderland, so that the rumour that he was coming back to Tynecastle has been flatly contradicted.

Source: Bon-Accord, 29th April 1909