Queen of the South 3 - 3 Aberdeen

Never-say-die Queens Would Not Accept Defeat
By NORMAN MACDONALD

THE Dons were a sadly disillusioned team at 4.40 p.m. on Saturday. From 3.16 until 4.30 p.m. they were lost in a beautiful dream of Scottish Cup glory.

McBain, right half, set the fuse to the explosion that rocked Aberdeen back to reality ten minutes from the end. The echo of this goal had scarcely died away before McAvoy, inside left, scrambled home the equaliser.
In the brief space of two minutes Queen of the South turned what had appeared certain defeat into a replay at Pittodrie on Wednesday.
The Dons had this game well won in the first sixteen minutes. The fact that they have to start the job all over again was their own fault. They got their goals too soon and too simply. They allowed themselves to be lulled into false sense of security.
It was almost understandable. They were three goals up and had clearly shown themselves a cut above Queens in football skill and cunning. The moral is - Never take anything for granted in a Scottish Cup-tie.
I have every confidence that Aberdeen will figure in the semifinal. For 85 per cent, of the game Queen of the South played and looked if they were fighting a lost cause.
All they had to recommend them courage and dogged determination. In the end it saved them from defeat.
The Dons were given a sharp and salutary lesson. To win the replay they must on their toes from the restart. Victory must not be taken for granted. Wjen they seize the initiative they must hold it.
Queen the South will start their northward trek to-morrow and they will not turn their face towards Dumfries again until Saturday evening. Queens have a league date with Aberdeen on Saturday this week as well as Wednesday's cup replay.

Hamilton Best,/p> Some of the Pittodrie players are bound to play more enterprising than they did at Dumfries. The five men who earned most marks at Palmerston Park were Emery, McKenna, McKenzie, Hamilton and Yorston, and the star who shone most brightly was the centre forward.
Hamilton gave a polished display of attack leadership in the first half. He was keen, quick and agile, both mentaly and physically. I thought he was the best player on view.
Yet he and Balrd missed chances that would have slammed the door in the face of Queen the South. In the case of the inside left it would have made the score 4-0, and in the Hamilton instance would have given Aberdeen a 4-1 lead.
Clean and lengthy kinking was the feature of Emery's display, while McKenna showed leech-like qualities in attaching himself to Houliston.
The Queen of the South player was but a shadow of the dashing Houliston who led Scotland to victory at Wembley last year. Saturday's display is likely to cost him his place in the Scottish League team to be chosen to-day.
Once again McKenzie, although perhaps not so impressive as in recent games, displayed his tenacious qualities against Charlie Brown, a rugged and awkward opponent.
Like Hamilton Yorston was seen at his best in the first half, when he displayed his opportunism by snapping two chances.

Source: Press & Journal, 13th March 1950