Airdrie 2 - 5 Aberdeen

Three-goal Margin Could Have Been Greater
HAMILTON'S GENIUS MADE GOALS
By NORMAN MACDONALD

IT was a gay and confident Aberdeen team that dismissed Airdrie, almost casually, in the first league game of the season at Broomfield. They should be in the right mood for the acid test against Hibs this week.

After giving - a bright display of intelligent and, at times, artistic soccer in the opening period, the Dons dropped into second gear after the interval.
Even so, they won 5-2, and it might just as easily have been eight or ten.
If this is the best that Airdrie can produce, then the only conclusion one can reach is that they are out of their class in "A" Division.
The Dons took command from the start. They were quicker and slicker on the ball than their opponents. Some of their soccer sallies, in the words of the song, had Airdrie "Bewitched, bothered and bewildered."
Mv only grievance against the Dons on Saturday was that they conceded two unnecessary goals and, strange as it may seem, the defence was never really seriously tested.
Anderson and Harris, particularly the former get full marks for their service to the forwards. The men in front responded splendidly the first half.
Although Yorston claimed three of the goals the real genius in the front line was undoubtedly George Hamilton.
The Dons' leader had Dingwall, the Airdrie centre half, completely foxed. His clever distribution of the ball was one the highlights the match.

Shooting Star

Yorston was the live wire. He was full of running. In fact, if he had been a trifle less impetuous he would have scored more than three goals.
Hather on the left was another bright spark and he was well worth his late goal for the amount trouble he gave the defence.
The Broomfield Park team had little to recommend them. They never played as a team. The Airdrie officials have many problems to solve.
Aberdeen started their goal revel in six minutes.
Hamilton gathered a pass from Yorston and with coolness and accuracy placed the ball low into the corner of the net away from McArthur, the Airdrie 'keeper.
Three minutes later came another cleverly-executed Dons movement and a second goal.
When Boyd crossed the ball from the right Hamilton adroitly nodded it down Yorston's feet and the inside-right added the finishing touch.
Boyd made the opening for No. 3 in twenty-six minutes. His final pass along the ground left Yorston with a simple job to send home.

Highlight

The best goal of the match came four minutes from the interval. Hamilton started the move by sending Hather away.
When the winger sent the ball across, the Dons' centre fooled the Airdrie defence by stepping over it. Again Yorston was in position to pick his spot in the net.
Two minutes after the start of the second half Yorston tackled McMillan, the Airdrie inside-right, from behind, inside the penalty area.
McMillan took the spot kick and found the net.
With thirty-four minutes played Hather went romping through on the left, beat Henshelwood and smashed the ball past McArthur.
Airdrie's second goal arrived one minute from the end. Boyd was dispossessed by Kelly, and the left back sent the ball through to McMillan. Kelly raced upfield and lashed the return pass into the net.

,b>Source: Press & Journal, 11th September 1950