Falkirk 1 - 0 Aberdeen
HT Score: Falkirk 1 - 0 Aberdeen
Div 1 (Old)
Falkirk scorers: Kinloch 4205/11/1949 | KO:
ALL DONS NEEDED WAS A SHOT
Archie Baird Put On A One-Man Show
It's exactly a year since Aberdeen's Archie Baird played big-time football, but yesterday he made a glorious come-back.
It wasn't the lanky fellow's fault that the Aberdeen score-sheet showed blank. Indeed, in the first 20 minutes he made enough openings for his mates to win any game. All were recklessly squandered.
Up to a point Aberdeen played lots of bonny football that had the Falkirk defence working overtime. But inclination to over-elaborate and disinclination to shoot proved their undoing. When you consider their best shots came from centre-half Waddell and right-half Anderson you realise just how futile it was.
The second half switch which brought George Hamilton to centre and Archie Kelly to the right-wing didn't improve matters.
Falkirk, with only half the scoring chances, were at least game to have a go. For that alone perhaps they deserve the points.
But it wasn't a good game. Aberdeen's footering and the Falkirk tendency to overhit the ball were most irritating.
If each could have given the other a little of what they could have done without then things might have been different.
Times without number a Falkirk move that looked good came to an abrupt halt with a pass that went past the player for whom it was intended.
I'm afraid trouble is in store for both teams unless their ways are mended quickly.
Nicoll looks a capable successor to Jerry Dawson. Whyte and McPhie, after that opening spell, defended well. Fiddes was the outstanding half, but only Reid and McHugh played to form in front.
For Aberdeen I liked Curran, McKenna, Anderson (best afield) and Waddell.
A good finisher is urgently needed up front to round off the Baird cantrips.
The Falkirk goal could easily have been avoided. Waddell with plenty of time to clear, allowed McHugh to dispossess him. The wee winger crossed. A defender knocked it out. Up came Kinloch full speed to smash a grounder past the diving Curran.
It wasn't the lanky fellow's fault that the Aberdeen score-sheet showed blank. Indeed, in the first 20 minutes he made enough openings for his mates to win any game. All were recklessly squandered.
Up to a point Aberdeen played lots of bonny football that had the Falkirk defence working overtime. But inclination to over-elaborate and disinclination to shoot proved their undoing. When you consider their best shots came from centre-half Waddell and right-half Anderson you realise just how futile it was.
The second half switch which brought George Hamilton to centre and Archie Kelly to the right-wing didn't improve matters.
Falkirk, with only half the scoring chances, were at least game to have a go. For that alone perhaps they deserve the points.
But it wasn't a good game. Aberdeen's footering and the Falkirk tendency to overhit the ball were most irritating.
If each could have given the other a little of what they could have done without then things might have been different.
Times without number a Falkirk move that looked good came to an abrupt halt with a pass that went past the player for whom it was intended.
I'm afraid trouble is in store for both teams unless their ways are mended quickly.
Nicoll looks a capable successor to Jerry Dawson. Whyte and McPhie, after that opening spell, defended well. Fiddes was the outstanding half, but only Reid and McHugh played to form in front.
For Aberdeen I liked Curran, McKenna, Anderson (best afield) and Waddell.
A good finisher is urgently needed up front to round off the Baird cantrips.
The Falkirk goal could easily have been avoided. Waddell with plenty of time to clear, allowed McHugh to dispossess him. The wee winger crossed. A defender knocked it out. Up came Kinloch full speed to smash a grounder past the diving Curran.
Source: Sunday Post, 6th November 1949
Defence Lost One Goal - Attack Lost FourM/p>
FIVE forwards with not a single scoring shot. That best describes the Aberdeen F.C. attack against Falkirk.
They left a brace of points at Brockville that should have been safely tucked away in the Pittodrie hamper before the interval.
The Dons' defence lost one goal - the Aberdeen attack threw away three or four. An analysis of the game can leave no doubt that the forwards were the guilty men.
The Falkirk winning goal might have been prevented. Out on the left Waddell, the Aberdeen centre half, decided to beat his man instead of playing safe and sending into touch.
He lost possession to McCue. When the left winger sent the ball into the middle Emery managed to poke it out. Up came Kinloch, the "Bairns" left half, to have a go. Curran dived to his left-hand post, but succeeded only in assisting the ball into the net. The 'keeper had the excuse that it was a greasy ball.
Defence Reeling,/p>
Waddell made an error of judgment and it cost a goal, but long before that the Pittodrie forwards had recklessly squandered several scoring chances. Incidentally Waddell atoned in some measure in the second half, when he saved a certain goal by heading out a try by McCue.
In point of fact the Dons should have had the game won in the first twenty minutes. They had the Falkirk defence reeling. Hather, Kelly, and Yorston (twice) all stand accused of missing opportunities.
Until the "Bairns" got their goal three minutes from the interval Aberdeen looked like a winning team. The Pittodrie forwards failed to keep their promise when they got within shooting range. They were goal-shy.
Falkirk took a bigger share of the play after the interval, but they were not a good team. They gave the ball plenty of boot and hoped for the best.
Ten minutes after the interval Hamilton and Kelly switched positions. The former seemed to cause Henderson more trouble, but the lanky pivot is an awkward customer to get past. The Dons' regular centre did not seem to be any happier on the wing than in the middle.
As good a forward as Aberdeen had was Archie Baird, recently recovered from his third cartilage operation and making his first appearance in the League side for a year.
The Pittodrie defence played soundly. Emery and McKenna made no serious mistakes, and Waddell generally had the measure of Inglis.
The right back was involved in a tackle with Henderson near the finish of the match, and the centre-half was removed from the field on a stretcher.
Inquiries after the match, however, revealed that the injury is not expected to prove serious.
The Dons' best player was Chris Anderson at right half. The former Aberdeen junior gave a first-class display, particularly in the first half, when he was as good as a sixth forward.
The Falkirk defence steadied after a shaky start. McPhie, who has been chosen as Scotland's reserve back against Wales on Wednesday, suffered in the general decline, but he recovered to finish strongly.
Henderson blocked the way down the middle, but Falkirk's most effective half-back was the veteran Fiddes at right half. McCue on the left wing was the most dangerous Brockville attacker.
Source: Press & Journal, 5th November 1949
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Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen AB24 5QH
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