East Fife 0 - 0 Aberdeen

WHO says you can't play good football on an ice-bound pitch?

At Bayview, on a sanded surface, as hard as iron, we were treated to a fast, tingling encounter, thrilling in its every minute.
No teetering about for these fellows. Instead they played excellent football.
Sure both sides took risks. There were times when Bayview echoed to 12,000 gasps. But the result more than justified their efforts - and how they were enjoyed by all.
Clad in rubber-soled boots as against East Fife's ordinary studs, Aberdeen had the simpler task of adaption. They revelled in the advantage. They turned quicker, and were off their mark in jet-like fashion.
The speed of Jimmy Delaney was a revelation. Repeatedly he rounded Sammy Stewart, then flashed ahead, surefooted and fleet as a deer. But for the rock-steady defence of pivot Finlay and 'keeper Easson his crosses would have led to defeat for the Fifers.
In the centre, George Hamilton's touches to the right and left were a delight. But home wing-halves Philp and McLennan were right in top form, and gave Dons' inside men, Baird and Yorston, the leanest of afternoons.
Had the Pittodrie side but known, they had a bigger advantago than ever after the turn. Easson played the entire second half almost literally one-handed.
He badly staved his right wrist in the first half diving to save a Hather shot. With his arm tightly bound up at the interval he came out to play a heroic second half.
Yet, the fact was not one Aberdeen shot came to his vulnerable right post in this period.
At the other end Morris and his adjutants found Martin, Shaw, Young and Co. equally difficult to overcome. First-time clearances all the time were clearly the forte of this rearguard.
Davie Duncan and Bobby Black, ever eager to engineer an opening for their middlemen, proved themselves slick raiders. They created most of the difficulty in Martin's area, but the 'keeper was equal to all calls.
Nearest to a score came when a George Hamilton header found the bar second half. But two apparently solid perlalty claims were turned down late on. First Alec Young appeared to handle, and five minutes later Yorston was somewhat roughly up-ended.
On a day which could have provided for anything below par, outstanding were 0 Easson, Proudfoot, Finlay, McLennan for the Fifers, and Martin, Shaw, Young, Harris and Delaney for the Dons.

Source: Sunday Post, 31st December 1950