Aberdeen 3 - 1 Celtic

Penalty Goal Leads to "Crack Up."

ARMSTRONG NETS TWICE.

Aberdeen have never reached the final of the Scottish Cup competition. Saturday, however, was the sixth occasion which they have qualified for the semi-final and hopes are high in the north-east that this will be the "Dons' year."

It is something of a coincidence that Celtic, three times conquerors of the Dons in the penultimate stage of the tournament, should this year provide the stepping-stone into the last quartet.
Six times previously have the clubs met in the knock-out competition and Saturday was the first occasion on which Aberdeen have emerged victorious.

Spirit That Counts.

The Dons are not a great side but the team spirit is well developed, and this may carry them further in the competition.
They fully deserved their victory over the record holders of the trophy at Pittodrie.
The will to win spirit was much in evidence in the Aberdeen ranks and although Celtic fought hard they could not withstand the fierce Aberdeen onslaughts in the second half.

Plenty of Thrills.

It was a good game. Both teams went at it hammer and tongs and there were plenty of thrills and not a little good football at times.
Unfortunately, however, Celtic tempers became ruffled after they had fallen in arrears, and there were one or two incidents which are better forgotten.
One in particular in which Napier and Fraser figured in the second half looked like having serious consequences, but the breach was healed when the players ultimately shook hands.

Granite-Like Defence.

Celtic were seen at their best in the first period. Their football was neat and studied but their skill was wasted against a granite-like Aberdeen defence.
Several of the Dons displayed traces of nervousness and over-anxiety during the first half, but after the interval there was a metamorphosis.
Strangely enough this coincided with the missing of a great scoring opportunity. In the opening minutes of the second period Moore lobbed a ball up the middle, McDonald missed his kick, and Armstrong, with nobody to beat but Kennaway, sent against the keeper's legs.
The chance was lost, but it proved to the Aberdeen players that the Parkhead defence was not impregnable and from that period onwards the Dons tore into the opposition.

Crowd Delirious.

Eight minutes had gone when the crowd went into ecstasies. Armstrong was going through from a Benyon header when he was interfered with, and the referee awarded a penalty. The centre took the kick himself, and although Kennaway got his hands to the ball he could not keep it out of the net.
Twelve minutes later the crowd were delirious. Napier was pulled up for a foul on Moore, Fraser placed the free kick nicely, and while the defence concentrated on Armstrong, Mills nipped in to head the ball into the net as it rebounded off the ground.

Another Penalty.

Before the crowd could regain its breath, the Dons were awarded a second penalty. Mills was unfairly hampered in the act of shooting. Armstrong was again entrusted with, the spot-kick. Kennaway knocked down his shot, but the home leader followed up to tap the ball into the net.
Celtic, who were a trifle unfortunate not to count in the first half when McGill cleared a McGrory header from a corner on the goal-line, reduced the leeway in the closing minutes. Napier lobbed a free-kick into the goalmouth, and McGrory first-timed the ball into the net.
The Aberdeen defence has seldom played better. It was always master of the Celtic attack.

Smith Safe.

Steve Smith was a sure and confident 'keeper, and was excellently protected by Cooper and McGill, a pair of swift-tackling and strong-kicking backs.
Falloon, however, was the hero of the Aberdeen defence in the first half. Times innumerable the diminutive Irishman crashed into the Celtic attacks to clear with head or feet. He clung to McGrory like a leech, and rarely has the Parkhead team's dangerous leader been more subdued.
Fraser was the hardest working half-back afield. He has played more brilliantly, but made a good job of "policing" Napier, and yet found time to urge on the attack on occasion.
Thomson was a strong defender, once he had lost his initial nervousness.

Moore Pays His Way.

Moore, who was not a success at Easter Road last Monday, showed a big improvement. He is still deficient in speed, but he paid his way by his clever distribution. The Irishman was injured near the close, and had to go to outside right.
Armstrong was a speedy and elusive leader, and he caused the Celtic defence many anxious moments in the second period.
Mills, although more subdued than usual, did a lot of clever opening-out work, and his goal was a well-taken affair.
Beynon was a fast and dangerous raider on the right wing, and gave Morrison an uncomfortable afternoon, while Ritchie Smith kept slamming the ball into the centre from the left first-time.
Kennaway, in the Celtic goal, got plenty to do. He saved well, and had no chance with the shots that beat him.

Celtic Backs.

Hogg was the better of two backs who wavered under determined Aberdeen pressure. Geatons took the honours at half-back, being strong in defence and mobile in attack.
McDonald never got a real grip of Armstrong; while Paterson was rarely in the limelight.
Napier and Buchan were clever in attack, and McGrory, against a less tenacious pivot than Falloon, might have got more goals, but the line as a whole could make nothing of the Aberdeen defence.

Source: Press & Journal, 11th March 1935