Airdrie 2 - 0 Aberdeen

Aberdeen have yet to beat the same team twice this season. Hopes that they would accomplish the "double" against Airdrieonians at Broomfield were not realised, as the spoils went to the Lanarkshire team by 2-0.
Thaw and rain following severe frost made the ground treacherous and muddy, and the game became largely a question of adaptation to conditions. Neither side did well in this respect, but Airdrie deserved to win because of their greater aggressiveness in the second half.

Kept On Defence.

Up to the interval when they were unfortunate to be two goals down, Aberdeen fully held their own. but after the first five minutes of the second half, except for occasional raids, they were always defending, and had the marksmanship of the forwards been more accurate, Airdrie might have claimed a more decisive victory.
It was really anybody's game in the first half, when each defence in turn was kept on the stretch.
The first goal came when Piper executed a prolonged individual movement which he finished by passing to Sharp, and the latter gave Smith no chance.

Yorston's Bad Luck.

Prior to that Aberdeen were very unfortunate when Yorston accepting from McLean ran through, and after beating Paterson who ran out to meet him, sent the ball against the post, and the Airdrie goalkeeper, while still on the ground, actually gathered and cleared following the rebound.
McLean and McDermid failed at comparatively easy chances, but, on the other hand, the home inside forwards also missed opportunities.

Costly Deflection.

Close on the interval, when Aberdeen had temporarily lost the services of McDermid through injury, Airdrieonians got a second goal. Muir, left unattended, got through to shoot, and Smith would probably have saved the shot, but the ball was deflected out his reach after it had struck Jackson on the back.
It was rather an uneventful second-half, which the Aberdeen attack seldom got going after the opening minutes. Smith, the Aberdeen goal, was repeatedly in action, and executed many fine saves, but generally the shooting of the homo forwards was wild.

Better in Defence.

Aberdeen were better served in defence than attack. Smith in goal was reliable, and Jackson and Falloon worked well together. The half-backs, of whom Black was best, were not up to their usual high standard, and of the forwards, McLean, who was injured and had to go outside-left in the second period, and McDermid, were most successful.
Airdrieonians too were well served in defence. Paterson was safe in goal, and got admirable support from Ross and McQueen. Preston was outstanding in the middle line, and, in a forward line that lacked finishers, Johnstone, McDonald, and Piper were outstanding.
There were 4000 spectators.

Source: Press & Journal, 12th January 1931