Hibernian 1 - 1 Aberdeen

COOPER GREAT IN DEFENCE

With greater thrust in attack Aberdeen would have beaten Hibs at Easter Road on Saturday. Young and virile though the home side were, they could not match the Dons in team-work and ball control.
The visitors were superior in everything but finishing power. In the second half especially, their play up to the penalty area left little to be desired. There it was, they broke down, and all their good work went for nothing.

PRETTY, PRETTY

Instead of going right ahead to deliver the final blow they started to finesse. The ball travelled from forward to half-back with aggravating regularity, instead of travelling in the direction of Gourlay's charge.
Hibs' opening goal was a well-taken affair, although it did not show the Aberdeen defence in a very good light. It came after twelve minutes' play. Davidson made ground on the left and lobbed the ball into the middle. Finnigan headed it on to Farrell, and the inside right, lying unmarked, sent into the net. When Nicholson went out to tackle Davidson some of the other defenders should have fallen back to cover up. That was where the Dons erred.
Aberdeen's equalising goal came from a free kick after twenty-eight minutes' play. Mills was fouled by Miller. The inside left himself took the free kick, and sent the ball flashing into the net from just outside the penalty area.
That finished the scoring. The Dons did not seem to realise they had the winning of the game in the second half until the closing stages, and then it was too late. They threatened more danger in the last ten minutes than they had done during the other seventy minutes.

LUCKY SAVE

Charlie Smith had Gourlay in action to a fierce shot, and Mills and Armstrong came near with good tries. The 'keeper could not hold the centre's shot at. the first attempt and he was lucky to turn and fall on the ball.
Hibs, although not seen to the same extent as Aberdeen as an attacking force, because of their more direct methods, seemed to threaten the greater danger. Apart from their finishing the play of the Aberdeen team as a whole was quite satisfactory.
The defence was sound. Johnstone in goal dealt confidently with all that came his way except the scoring shot, and he had no chance with that. Cooper was the best back afield. He went out to meet Nutley, and the result was the winger never looked like doing any damage. Another feature of the right back's play was that his clearances were usually well placed.
McGill found his lack of speed a handicap against the dashing McIntyre. and had the winger revealed little more craft when he did get through it might have gone hard with the Dons.

GOOD HALVES

Nicholson proved stumbling block to the Hibs' attack. The big centre-half rarely failed to get the ball in the tackle. He was effective with head and feet. Thomson's display served to emphasise the fact that he is coming back to his best form. He engineered many of the attacking movements. Fraser, although he lacked the polish of the left half, was strong and forceful.
The right wing partnership of Smith and McKenzie did not meet with the same success as did Smith and Brady. The former Yeovil winger did not get as much scope as against St Johnstone, and he was opposed to a good back in Dunsmore. Nevertheless his speed and gusto were always in evidence.
McKenzie was a clever ball worker. He is probably a better footballer than Brady, but he does not possess as much dash as the former Hibs' forward.
Armstrong led the line well. His distribution was good. In fact his chief fault was that he was inclined to be too unselfish. Mills was the craftiest forward afield. He could draw the defence and hold the ball until a teammate ran into position. Ritchie Smith was but shadow of the warrior he has been on previous appearances in the League side. He could not shake off the ever attentive Logan.

SOLID DEFENCE

In Gourlay, Hibs had splendid 'keeper, and Dunsmore is a back who promises to develop into a first-class defender. Miller was a sound defensive pivot, and of the wing halves Birse impressed most.
McIntyre and Farrell were quick-moving and dangerous right wing pair, and against a less powerful centre-half than Nicholson. Finnigan will prove success. Davidson and Nutley on the left never struck happy combination.

Source: Press & Journal, 7th February 1938