Aberdeen 3 - 1 Partick Thistle

TRUST the Dons to do the unexpected. On a heavy and greasy ground, on which the ball was liable to skid in the most disconcerting fashion, the Aberdeen forwards on Saturday played more intelligent and thrustful football than they have produced for weeks.

They beat Partick Thistle 3-1, and they left no doubt about the fact that thev were a better team than the Firhill brigade. The Dons were more resourceful in defence and more fertile and forceful in attack.
The secret of their success was the introduction of George Hamilton at centre forward. He did not figure in the list of Aberdeen marksmen, but he brought unity the line. In spite of the treacherous ground he distributed the ball with acumen and accuracy.
Partick Thistle never mastered the conditions. They were a struggling team, almost completely devoid of constructive ideas. Their efforts to compensate for their lack of cohesion with long-range shooting simplified the task of the Aberdeen defenders.

Hopes Rise

On Saturday's form there is some hope of an Aberdeen revival, but Partick are destined for the deep waters of relegation unless there is a complete transformation.
Another bright feature from the Pittodrie point of view was the good showing of Archie Baird. The inside left, who has but recently returned to the active list after his third cartilage operation, had severe a test against the Thistle as he is likely to have this reason. He plaved a useful game and suffered no ill effects.
Yorston was a mixture. He had some bright patches and some not so bright. It is easy to forgive the inside right for his "lost moments," however, when you recall the accomplished manner in which he snapped up two scoring chances.
Pearsons best period was during the last quarter of an hour, when he xrossed a number of dangerous balls. Earlier he gave the impression that he was not at home on the right touchline.

Workmanlike

Aberdeen's rearguard had a comparatively peaceful afternoon. McKenna played well at back and Waddell had the measure of the former Dundee leader. Anderson was a more profitable wing half-back than Harris.
Davidson, right-hald and Kinnell centre-half were the players who impressed most in the Partick Thistle team. The former went to inside right after the interval. Brown dropping back to the half line.
The Dons set about the job of goalscoring in workmanlike style and went ahead in ten minutes. It was a neat goal. Hamilton back-headed a long throw-in from Anderson and the lanky Baird was waiting to nod the ball into the net.
Aberdeen got a shock in thirtv-three minutes when Partick Thistle equalised.
Yorston conceded a free kick thirty-five yards from goal. Davidson hit the ball with power and accuracy and it entered the net near the post. Curran. the Dons' goalkeeper, seemed slow in getting off his mark.
Yorston restored Aberdeen's lead four minutes later. During a home attack the ball broke loose after striking a defender, and the Dons inside right ran in to meet it and crash it into the net from twenty yards' range.
Although Aberdeen always looked like finishing winners. Yorston's third goal twentv-four minutes after the start of the second half eliminated any danger of Partick doing the unexpected and snatching a point.
Pearson organised the raid that produced this goal After carrying the ball down the right he sent it across. The defence failed to intercept and Yorston nipped in to send into the net under the falling body of Ledgerwood.

Source: Press & Journal, 14th November 1949