Hibernian 4 - 1 Aberdeen

This Time WaddelTs Injury Upset the Applecart

ABERDEEN F.C. officials might be forgiven for thinking that gremlins really exist!
For forty-five minutes at Easter Road on Saturday the Dons promised to snatch a point, but a leg injury to Willie Waddell proved the turning point, and they were beaten 4-1 by Hibs after a non-scoring first half.

Waddell pulled a muscle after thirty-five minutes, and although he came back to play outside right in the second half, he was merely an onlooker.
In fact, his reappearance after the interval was a point in favour of those who think an injured player should remain off if he is of no practical value to his side.
While it must admitted that Aberdeen are not getting the breaks, it is problematical whether they cculd have prevented a Hibs victory, even at full strength.
Long before they opened their scoring account, the Edinburgh team was moving with a rhythm and purpose that the Dons lacked.

Apt Pupil

They had the advantage at wing half-back. Where the veteran Kean showed that he is still a grand constructive player. And what an apt Dupil he has in Buchanan!
It was unfortunate for the Dons that this rearranged attack didn't get a longer trial. They did produce occasional bright patches.
Pearson, for instance, was good in possession, but he is not incisive enough for an inside forward, and lacked the drive which Combe and Turnbull, especially the latter, gave the home attack.
Although he missed one simple opening, Hamilton was the Dons' best forward. For the second week running Rice played most of the game in an inside berth, where is not at his best.
Hather found his master in Govan, who was in international form, but the line as a whole is still suffering from lack of adequate support.
It is more and more evident that the team's greatest need is for wing half-backs with a flair for constructive play.
Anderson and McLaughlin are honest-to-goodness triers, but their service to the men in front leaves room for improvement.
As far as Ancell was concerned, the switching of the Dons' fullbacks was a success. He was very steady, and saw to it that Smith got few opportunities.
Johnstone, far busier than Kerr was at the other end, earned full marks for his goaikeeping. In the first half, especially he was in his best form.

Plumb Lacks Guile

Many people thought Hibs erred when they parted with Linwood. His successor is a youngster named Plumb, who has all the attributes of youth, but lacks guile.
He was on the spot in the thirteenth minute of the second half to head home a Smith cross. A minute later Aberdeen were two down from a hotly-disputed penalty award.
McLaughlin, now at centre half, was adjudged to have used his arm to stop a cross from Ormond.
After an emphatic protest the referee consulted a linesman, but the award stood. Cairns scored.
The Dons were on the way out and five minutes later Smith hammered home a left-foot shot. Harris tried in vain to keep the ball out.
Hamilton headed a neat goal from a cross by Ancell in thirty-five minutes, but almost immediately afterwards he missed an easier opening.
Aberdeen also protested that Ormond was offside when he dashed away to score Hibs' fourth, two minutes from time.

Source: Press & Journal, 17th January 1949