Aberdeen 0 - 1 Motherwell

ABERDEEN are having a had time. On top of four successive League Cup defeats comes news of a crop of injuries. Jimmy Mitchell, Chris Anderson and Dave Aitken were all unfit on Saturday and three players were injured in the game against Motherwell.
Wallace had to have two stitches inserted in an injury above his eye and Hather sustained a knock on the thigh near the interval. Buckley damaged his ankle in a tackle in the opening stages and the limb was badly swollen yesterday.
It is hoped that some of the players mentioned will be fit for Wednesday's game against Hearts at Tynecastle, but it is certain that they won’t all have recovered.
Aberdeen surprise move of playing Johnny Pattillo, their trainer-coach at right back against Motherwell has been the subject of a good deal of speculation and criticism amongst supporters over the week-end.

Put On Spot

The officials were put on the spot by the unexpected withdrawal of Jimmy Mitchell on Saturday morning. What appeared to be a minor foot injury became complicated over, night and made play impossible for the former Morton defender.
Mitchell himself told me that he fully expected to play until late on Friday night, when the injury suddenly became painful.
The reserve backs, Paterson and Smith, had left with the "A" team for Berwick on the earlv morning train, and with Aitken, the other defender, also unfit, the club was confronted with an urgent problem.

Trainer Was Solution

Pallillo offered a solution when he volunteered to play. The old Dundee stalwart appeared to have hung up his boots when he secured the Pittodrie appointment, but he has been training regularly with the players.
He confessed to me after the game that he was disappointed about the loss of the goal, but that physically he felt all right. He added that the ball which led to Aitkenhead’s goal hit the ground, rose sharply, and glanced off his head before reaching the winger.
Meanwhile there is still a cipher in Aberdeen’s points column. The players revealed plenty of courage again, but there is still little sign of sustained team-work.
The injury to Wallace upset the balance on the left flank on Saturday. The young left half could not be judged on this game. In view of the nature of his injury it was only natural that he avoided heading the ball.
Until the Aberdeen players develop co-ordination, successful results will be hard to obtain. How to find a solution presents a difficult and urgent problem. It is less than two weeks until the start of the Scottish League campaign.
Had the Dons been able to take a point off Motherwell, as they might well have done, it would have helped to restore confidence in the Aberdeen ranks.

McNeill Can improve

The diminutive McNeill started brightly enough, but later fell under the spell of the experienced Redpalh. McNeill can improve once he becomes accustomed to the increased pace of "A" Division football.
Boyd showed occasional flashes but was hardly incisive enough, while Hather was an enterprising raider on the left wing until he sustained a leg injury near the interval.
The two men who caught and held the eye in the Dons’ team were Thomson and Martin.
It wasn't that the keeper was kept particularly busy by a disappointing Motherwell forward line, but the fact that he inspired confidence by his handling and clearing the ball.
Always in the thick of the fray, Thomson was the personification of steadiness. He dominated the centre of the field and played a big part in checkmating the Fir Park attack.


Source: Evening Express, 25th August 1952