Aberdeen 1 - 1 Airdrie

Little Imagination in Play of Aberdeen Forwards
Kellybars the way
By NORMAN MACDONALD

This is the time of year when the Dick Whittingtons and Cinderellas elicit everyone's sympathy and finally make a triumphant revival.
The Dons must have been in sympathetic mood on Saturday. They permitted Airdrie, the Cinderellas of the Scottish League, to leave Pittodrie with a point.

It may have been a seasonal gesture on the part of Aberdeen, but it left their supporters bewitched, bothered and bewildered. Championship teams are not built on such generous lines.
Airdrie were a team of triers. They were to be admired for their fighting spirit. The pity of is is that the point they won at Pittodrie is not likely to save them from relebation.
There is no excuse for the Dons' partial failure. They played badly. Th ewing half backs, Anderson and Harris, failed to complete their job and there was little imaginaton in the plav of the forwards.
There was a;most a complete lack of liaison between the wing half-backs and the attackers.
The harder Anderson tried the more ineffective he seemed to become, and the barracking of a section of the crowd in the second half did not help matters.

Defiant

It is difficult to understand why the Aberdeen team persisted in playing up the middle instead of making more use of Delaney and pearson. It was obvious early in the game that Kelly had the way barred up the centre.<.br> The Airdrie centre half and Fraser in goal remained magnicently defiant in the face of the Dons' fircest onslaughts. Kelly was more successful in curbing Hamilton's activities than most centre half backs.
Welsh, the former st Johnstone inside forward, gave a smart display at inside left, and considering that he was new to Scottish League fooball, McCulloch did well on the wing.
Martin in goal and Young at centre half inspired confidence in the Aberdeen defence.
Baird had a poor game at inside left, and Yorston did not reveal his usual adventurous spirit.
Delaney and Pearson carried more menace in the Dons' front line abd Aberdeen might have won had they made more use of this pair instead of playing so slavishly to the middle of the field.

Lucky Escape

The Airdrie goal had several lucky escapes. One that comes to mind readily was in the second half. First Baird slammed a shot against the post following a corner by Pearson.
The rebound went to Hamilton and the centre's drive was bound for the net when Eraser punched it against the upright.
The Dons' only goal came twenty-one minutes after the start. Delaney broke clear on the right, cut adross the field andand put Pearson in possession. The left winger lofted the ball into the goalmouth and Hamilton sent home at tht second attempt.
The equaliser arrived eleven minutes later. The Aberdeen defence was caught off guard, when Picken evaded McKenna and crossed. Martin had left his charge and McCulloch appeared in the goalmouth to send the ball into the net.

Source: Press & Journal, 25th December 1950