Motherwell 5 - 1 Aberdeen

Hamilton Only Player Above Criticism
By JAMES FORBES,/p> ABERDEEN went to Motherwell on Saturday with relegation worries cast behind them for another season, but any uninformed onlooker would have been excused for thinking that the Dons were one of the teams still engaged in the struggle for survival.

It has been a season of ups and downs for the Pittodrie club, but this latest performance must go down as their worst during the campaign.
Motherwell's emphatic 5-1 success was sweet revenge for the drubbing they received earlier in the season at Pittodrie. Aberdeen would have had little cause for complaint if the home total had been larger.
An ironic touch was the fact that Public Enemy No. 1 was Archie Kelly, who was transferred from Aberdeen to Motherwall last November. He scored four goals.
The change of club may not have improved Kelly's footballing ability, but he retains his zest for the game, and his willingness to chase everything was in marked contrast to some of the Aberdeen players.
George Hamilton is the only man in the Pittodrie side entitled to escape criticism. He rivalled Kelly in the matter of enthusiasm, and was ahead of the Fir Park leader when it came to spreading the play. All too often, however, he placed the ball for inside forwards who were too slow to take advantage of the opening.
Neither Yorston nor Baird had the thrust of Forrest, whose display on his Scottish League debut must have been encouraging for the Fir Park management. The former Newarthill Hearts player passed accurately, and in the air invariably had the better of the Dons' defenders.

Reputation Belied

Motherwell's forwards have a reputation for not being able to shoot, but they were well ahead the Dons in this repect. I can only recall one decent shot by an Aberdeen forward, and Baird's effort was from too far out to give Hamilton any concern.
As the score indicates, Aberdeen's defence was far from reliable. Watson's handling of the ball did not inspire confidence, and while McKenna was more effective than Emery, the Pittodrie backs did not mark their wingers with the same accuracy as Kilmarnock and Shaw.
The Motherwell inside men found it easy to thread their way through Aberdeen's outer defences. The Dons' wing, half-backs were overshadowed by Redpath and McLeod, while McKenzie found it difficult to cope with the restless Kelly.
Playing against the sun and wind in the first half, the Dons held their opponents to one goal, taken smartly by Watters when Forrest headed down a free kick by Shaw. Hopes that Aberdeen would do better after half time were soon dispelled.

Marksman Kelly

Within a minute Kelly had headed a goal off Waters' cross. Before fifteen minutes had gone the centre struck again, resisting challenges by two defenders before shooting past Watson.
Aitkenhead took most of the credit for Motherwell's fourth goal. He weaved past Emery and Anderson before delivering a shot which Kelly deflected home with his head.
The centre completed the rout sixteen minutes from time. Kilmarnock started the move when he dispossessed Pearson. His upfield pass was gathered by Aitkenhead, who transferred to Kelly. Watson rushed out in a vain effort to avert disaster, but the centre ran round him before putting the ball into the empty goal.
Aberdeen's only goal four minutes later was incidental. Yorston, who had been seldom in the picture, was grassed as he tried to bore a way through, Emery made his usual thorough job of the spot kick.

Source: Press & Journal, 27th March 1950