Golden Chance Missed of Opening Up Lead
By NORMAN MACDONALD
The race for the Scottish League championship is still open, and most of the clubs have completed a third of their programme.
What a chance the Dons missed against Partick Thistle at Pittodrie. They could have been "sitting pretty" at the head of affairs.
As it is, Aberdeen, Hibs and Rangers are on the same mark with fourteen points each, but the champions have a game in hand.
The Dons have no excuse for their failure to win against the Firhill combination. Certainly Hamilton and Baird were absentees through injury, but with McKennan and Chisholm unfit Partick could claim a similar handicap.
Three players were hurt in Saturday's game, yet it could not be described as rough. Taylor, the Dons' left-half, and McGowan, Partick's right back, both received leg injuries just before the interval.
Waddell Hurt
McGowan played for the remainder the game on the right wing, but Taylor returned to his own position after a short spell on the touchline. Waddell, the Pittodrie centre-half, also received a head injury and was off the field for "repairs" when Partick snatched the equalising goal.
There were only eight minutes left for play when Glover, unchallenged, ran through to find the net to save a point for the Glasgow team.
Over-confidence was the main cause of the Dons' failure to retain both points. They started well, and were two goals up in twenty-one minutes.
Both counters came from free-kicks. Harris nodded down a free-kick from McKenna. Williams touched the ball on to McCall, and the inside-right swept it into the net. This goal came in twelve minutes, and nine minutes later Williams flicked another free-kick by McKenna through for Harris to send into the net.
Prom this point Aberdeen always looked like winners, but Partick Thistle's raids invariably held menace. Ten minutes from the interval O'Donnell gave Smith a chance, and the winger found the net with a glorious drive.
The loss of this goal didn't awaken the Aberdeen players to the dangerous nature their position. In the second half they continued to force the pace, but their play suggested that they held a substantial lead instead of a single goal one.
When they lost the lead the Dons were a different team. They put any amount of vim, vigour, and vitality into their play, and only sheer desperation and a modicum of luck enabled Partick to hold out.
The Pittodrje defence was made to look foolish when Glover got the equaliser. The winger was never tackled on his way to goal. Cowie played well at back, and McKenna had an easy task against the crippled McGowan.
Waddell kept a good grip of Sharp, and Dunlop was more impressive than he has been in recent games.
Kiddie on the wing, and Harris at centre were dangerous, and Miller on the left, although not brilliant, showed promise. Williams and McCall, in the inside positions, did not instil enough punch into their play.<.br>
The Partick defence fought hard. Brown both at half back and full back, impressed, and Husband, strong in the tackle and clever in attack, was the best middle-man afield.
Source: Press & Journal, 16th September 1946