Celtic 5 - 2 Aberdeen

DONS' FRONT LINE WITHOUT STING

RITCHIE'S INJURY WRECKS DEFENCE

Superior team work was the chief factor in Celtic's victory over Aberdeen at Parkhead on Saturday. Their main advantage lay in attack, where they displayed much more cohesion and thrust than the Dons.
It must be admitted, however, that Aberdeen played under a big handicap for three-quarters of the game. Shortly after Celts had taken the lead Ritchie, the Dons' left back, wrenched his left leg in a tackle, and for the remainder of the match he was little more than " passenger."

REARRANGED SIDE

He was transferred to the outside-left berth, and this necessitated a rearrangement of the left flank. Smith moved to the inside position. Mills dropped back to left half, and Thomson went to fullback.
These changes undoubtedly had an upsetting influence on the team as a whole, but they do not entirely explain Aberdeen's collapse in the second half.
Matters were evened up when shortly after Ritchie's mishap Celtic lost the services of Divers, who retired to the pavilion, with a shoulder injury. Until the interval the Dons gave as good as they got, and, considering Celtic had the assistance of a blustery wind, a one-goal deficit was not a big handicap.
Celtic's opening goal in eight minutes was typical of their play - clean cut and incisive. Clever combination by Paterson and Murphy saw the winger run into position to receive the return pass. Fraser failed to intercept the ball, and Murphy swept it into the middle for Crum to first-time it past Johnstone.

SECOND REVERSE,/p> When the teams resumed after the interval Divers was in his usual-position. Give-and-take play was the order until Celts got their second goal in twelve minutes. Carruth, lying unmarked, gathered a slip from Crum and ran on to give the 'keeper no chance.
This point shook Aberdeen, but they did not admit defeat until the third goal was scored. The players appealed strongly for offside, but that they lost the goal was entirely their own fault. Lyon placed a free kick outside the penalty area to McDonald, and the Aberdeen players looked on while the Celtic inside-right ran on to place the ball past Johnstone. The Dons should know by this time that they must play to the whistle.
In the twentieth minute Crum netted a fourth goal and Celtic had the game well won. Thirteen minutes from the end Brady reduced the leeway with a shot that entered the net off the post. Three minutes from the final whistle McDonald took advantage of an opening made by Murphy to score a fifth goal, and a minute later Aberdeen got second goal when Armstrong was pulled down inside the penalty area and Mills converted the kick.

LACKING POWER

In the closing twenty minutes of the first half the Aberdeen forwards revealed some enterprise, and had they possessed Celtic's flair for finishing what they started they would not have been in arrears at half-time. After the interval the play of the attackers was most uninspiring, and was in direct contrast to the understanding and thrust which characterised the work of the Celtic quintette.
The Aberdeen defence was handicapped by the injury to Ritchie, and could not cope with the buoyant home front rank. In spite of the fact that he was opposed to Crum. Celtic's most dangerous forward, and that the centre scored two goals, Nicholson was Aberdeen's best defender.
Cooper had a difficult task against Murphy, and occasionally found the winger too much for him, while Thomson, although he fought pluckily in an effort to combine the work of full back and half-back, could not subdue the McDonald-Carruth combine.
Fraser had his hands full with Divers, but played fairly well after an indifferent start. Johnstone, in goal, had no chance with any of the shots that beat him.
Of the forwards, only Armstrong and Brady gained any measure of success. The Dons leader was one of the hardest workers afield, but without support he could make little headway against sound Celtic defence. Brady was closely attended by Morrison, but was nevertheless a dangerous raider.

FORWARD WEAKNESS

The chief weakness was at inside forward. Neither Mills nor McKenzie showed any enterprise and they lacked the forcefulness of their counterparts in the Celtic side. Smith was a worker, but did nothing of note.
Celtic's defence was troubled only in the closing twenty minutes of the first period. That apart, they had the measure of the Aberdeen attack. Lyon was powerful pivot, and Paterson a clever, forcing half-back.
The greatest disparity between the teams however, lay in attack. Celtic had three strong and skilful inside men in McDonald, Crum, and Divers. Crum was a nippy and elusive leader, and his supports gave him splendid service.

Source: Press & Journal, 17th January 1938