Aberdeen 5 - 2 Clyde

Aberdeen deservedly won their first Scottish League match of the season at home by defeating Clyde by the substantial score of 5 goals to 2. The 16,000 spectators at Pittodrie Park saw a capital game, in which the better team won. The lead of three goals to one at half-time scarcely represented Aberdeen's superiority, for there were a good many well-placed shots saved by Fraser's brilliant goalkeeping, while Blair and Gibson in defence were excellent. In attack, Clyde were best served by their right-winger, Malone, and by their centre-forward, Johnstone. The impression conveyed by Saturday's play was that the Aberdeen team will work together much better than last season. There is more vigour in their attack. In this respect the new centre-forward, returning after experience with Partick Thistle, gives great promise. The hard, low drive with which he opened the scoring, much to the crowd's delight, was certainly a capital shot, and he had another to his credit before the close of the first period. If remains to be seen if he has at length solved the long-standing centre-forward problem. Maclachlan, Cosgrove, Edward, Reid, R. Bruce, and Smith were others outstanding in the Aberdeen team. With regard to the last mentioned, it was only the day before the match that he agreed to give his signature as one of this season's Aberdeen players. He showed much of his wonted smartness, but there were times when he gave evidence of his former fault of keeping the ball too long in his possession. The "direct action" methods of Miller and Maclachlan were the more successful.

Source: The Scotsman, 23rd August 1926

With victory over Clyde by 5 goals to 2, in their first league game at Pittodrie for the season, Aberdeen delighted their supporters. In respect to the memory Mr Alex. Findlay, a director of the club, whose death occurred suddenly while on holiday, on Saturday forenoon, the Aberdeen players wore crepe bands, and the pavilion flag was at half-mast.
The game produced a keen struggle and in a warm afternoon with dazzling sun it was surprising such a fast pace was maintained. Aberdeen well deserved to win, but their superiority scarcely merited such a decisive margin. They were stronger at halfback and although their forwards did not combine any better than those of Clyde, their shooting was much more accurate and powerful and was the deciding factor in the game. On the home side Blackwell saved well, and if neither back was brilliant, each played a serviceable game. There was a big improvement in the play of the halfbacks, all three of whom struck their best game, especially in the first period when they backed up their forwards splendidly. A comfortable lead may have accounted for their tendency to lie back and defend in the second half, when they had a stiff breeze and bright sun to contend with. The forwards were nippy and clever as the score indicates, and effective at close range. Besides shooting with great force, Miller led the attack with great skill. Smith and Reid were two smart wingers, while R. Bruce and McDermid also did their part well.
Fraser, the Clyde goalkeeper, was blameless for his side's defeat, in fact he kept down the score. Blair was the better back and Gibson the best halfback, but in the other rear positions the losers were weak. Johnstone and Malone showed much dash and cleverness in attack, the burden of which fell on their shoulders, but they were not adequately supported. Fourteen thousand spectators greatly enjoyed the game.

EARLY LEAD.

An early lead gave Aberdeen confidence. In the first two minutes Edward worked the ball forward and passed to Miller, who adroitly slipped into the net out of Fraser's reach. Subsequently Clyde attacked, and Edward, Hutton, and Bruce were prominent with good defensive play. Both sides settled down to clean, fast football, and each end was raided in turn. A first-time shot by Smith went wide, and Johnstone headed narrowly past the Aberdeen goal after Malone had crossed. In a thrust by the Clyde left, D. Bruce deflected the ball over his own goal when Johnstone looked like scoring. Following a corner by Reid, MacLachlan was given a chance to shoot, and he made a flying leap at the ball to score with a terrific shot, Fraser touching the ball but failing to stop its progress. Clyde retaliated immediately with a goal. Their left wing challenged, and while the Aberdeen defence wavered, Johnstone netted from close range as the Aberdeen goalkeeper rushed out to intercept. Practically from the kick-off Aberdeen restored their lead of two goals. Smith broke away and crossed for Miller to crash home a terrific shot. From this stage until the interval Aberdeen were decidedly superior. All the Aberdeen forwards, and Cosgrove and MacLachlan had tries for goal, but the nearest to a score was when Miller smashed the ball against the upright, and on another occasion when Fraser knocked out a terrific shot by the Aberdeen centre-forward.

TWO FOR R. BRUCE.

Considering they had to face a stiff breeze and dazzling sun in the second half, Aberdeen's two-goal lead at the interval was none too formidable. In the opening stages Clyde were dangerous. Johnstone and Malone showing much cleverness and dash. A shot by the centre-forward flashed just wide of the Aberdeen goal, and on another occasion he just missed the goal as the result of the attention of Hutton. Aberdeen got going again, and from McDermid's pass R. Bruce scored a brilliant goal from twenty yards out, the ball hitting the iron support at the back of the net and rebounding into play. This reverse unsettled Clyde for a time, but they rallied, and with Blackwell hampered by colleagues, Johnstone ran in to head into the net off a centre by Malone. At the other end Fraser at full length just reached a ground shot by R. Bruce, and the Clyde goalkeeper was busy with centres by Reid and Smith. In the closing minutes, Clyde made another spurt, and Malone and Johnstone just missed with creditable tries, but before the end, following a free kick taken by MacLachlan, there was a scrimmage in front of the visitors' goal, and R. Bruce obtained a fifth goal for Aberdeen.

Source: Press & Journal, 23rd August 1926