Heart of Midlothian 4 - 1 Aberdeen

Victory Margin Did Not 'Flatter Them

HEARTS - the team with the streamlined attack. The names are Sloan, Conn, Bauld, Wardhaugh and Flavell. They played super-charged football to beat the Dons 4-1.

Their record on the past six matches proves that their form against Aberdeen was no temporary flash of brilliance. They have hit the bull's-eye twenty-six times and conceded only three goals. Of such material are championship and Scottish Cup-winning sides made.
it may be too late for Hearts to sound a challenge in the League competition, but as they are playing now it will take a team of soccer giants to stop them in the cup.
With the wing half backs, Cox and Laing, carrying the ball through to them, the forwards move with the smooth efficiency and speed of a well-oiled machine.
The Hearts' attack has no general. Every man plays his part. The most striking feature of their play was the pace and cohesion they developed while on the move.

Impetuous

If these goal-hungry Hearts attackers had a fault it was a tendency towards impetuosity at close quarters. If they can develop the arctic touch near goal there is nothing in Scotland to stop them.
Hearts dazzled in the outfield and diddled at goalmouth during the first half-hour. In thirty-two minutes the Dons dropped a firecracker in Tynecastle by suddenly and boldly striking out to open the scoring.
Once they had recovered from this defiant gesture by Aberdeen, Hearts took the bit between their teeth. They slammed the ball past Watson twice during the last five minutes of the period.
The Dons were outclassed. They never gave up the fight, but Hearts monopolised the ball for long spells. Aberdeen were never allowed to settle.
Beaten four times though he was, Frank Watson was a gallant figure in the Pittodrie goal. He frequently pulled the Dons out of awkward situations.
Few of the Pittodrie players shone. Two other defenders well worth honourable mention are Waddell and Harris. This pair, although overwhelmed at times, refused to surrender.
Compared with the five bright and shining Tynecastle boys, the Dons' attack was a second-rate affair. Their play was as dull as their opponents' was brilliant.

Hamilton Game

Hamilton struggled gamely to get the line going, but he got little response from the others with the exception of Hather on the left wing, who revealed occasional flashes.
It was this pair who rocked Tynecastle with the opening goal. When Harris thrust a hard ball up the middle Hamilton beat Dougan and edged it out to the left. Hather came flying in from the wing to hit the ball full force on the run. Brown In the Hearts goal had no chance.
This goal gave the prodigal Tynecastle forwards an electric shock. They cut loose and scored twice.
Conn got the first in forty minutes. When McKenna headed out a free kick from McKenzie the inside right sent the ball flashing home from twenty-five yards' range.
One minute later Watson could do no better than palm out a lob from Sloan and Wardhaugh was left with the simple job of tapping the ball into the net.
Hearts' third goal arrived in sixty-eight minutes. It was the result of a delightful piece of football confection between Sloan and Conn on the right wing. The inside man provided the finishing touch.
Wardhaugh made the total four three minutes from the end when he drove home during a goalmouth scrimmage. The winners were in no way flattered by the margin of victory.

Source: Press & Journal, 5th December 1949

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