Aberdeen 6 - 1 Falkirk

These teams met at Pittodrie yesterday, before 4000 spectators, in an East of Scotland League fixture. Teams:- Aberdeen - MacFarlane; Urquhart, Boyle; Halkett, Simpson, Robertson; McWhinnie, Edgar, Low, Haxton, Lennie. Falkirk - Allan; Leishman, Gordon; Reid, Anderson, Collins; Simpson, McTavish, Logan, Mitchell, Wilson. In the first half play was equally divided, the Falkirk forwards showing pretty football. Aberdeen, however, made more of their opportunities than the visitors, and crossed over leading by three goals to one. But for a short period, the homesters practically monopolised play in the second period, and by the end of the game were all over their opponents. The homesters added another three goals, and the game resulted:- Aberdeen, six goals: Falkirk, one.

Source: The Scotsman, 11-09-1906

A big holiday crowd to witness this match at Pittodrie yesterday between Aberdeen and Falkirk, the occasion being an East of Scotland League fixture. Teams:-
Aberdeen: MacFarlane; Urquhart, Boyle; Halkett, Simpson, Robertson; McWhinnie, Edgar, Low, Haxton, Lennie.
Falkirk: Allan; Leishman, Gordon; Reid, Anderson, Collins; Simpson, McTavish, Logan, Mitchell, Wilson.
MacAulay did not turn out for Falkirk, as he was harp on Saturday. Referee - Mr. James Dundas, Dundee.

THE GAME - A GOAL IN THREE MINUTES

The weather conditions were ideal, there being very little wind. Aberdeen won the toss. Falkirk kicked off, but made no headway, and through Edgar's tricky work Low got away and passed out to make Winnie, the ball going bye. Boyle kicked into touch, pressed by Simpson, and from the throw-in a scrimmage ensued in the Aberdeen goal. Macfarlane missed the ball and fell, Halkett foes old his kick, and Wilson with an open goal had no difficulty in opening the scoring for Falkirk three minutes from the start. After midfield play Aberdeen run down, and Allan had to leave his goal to clear his lines. From a foul against the Falkirk left-half, Haxton sent in a low drive which Allan had difficulty in clearing. A hot minute followed, the Falkirk defence having to give away a corner. Clever play by McTavish, who run passed Robertson and Boyle and finished with a great shot, was deservedly cheered. Urquhart kicked the ball against Logan, and Macfarlane had to run out to punt the ball away. Then came a bright bit of play. Lennie, getting the ball, dashed along in fine style, and although back charged by Leishman, sent in a swift shot which McWhinnie helped into the net.

ABERDEEN SCORE FROM A PENALTY

The referee, however, had blown his whistle for a penalty, and the goal was not allowed. Henry Low took the penalty kick, and made no bones about that, banging the ball into the net with terrific force, thus equalising amid cheers. Macfarlane saved splendidly from Simpson, and Boyle was prominent for clean clearing. Aberdeen then made off to the other end, where Henry Low, busting through, sent in a rocket shot, which Allan tipped over the bar, giving away a corner. Play was fast and exciting. The Aberdeen end was next visited through miskicks by Urquhart and Boyle, it being left to Halkett to cover up the mistakes of the backs. Boyle kicked the ball away from Logan close in, but Falkirk were not to be shaken off, until Reid sent the ball 15 feet over the bar. Gowie Robertson, so far, was weak. Macfarlane was loudly cheered for fisting a ball away from Logan, and a minute later Rab again saved. Urquhart's miskicking was exceedingly dangerous for his side.

LENNIE HURT

Lennie was kicked on the left leg, and had to leave the field. Falkirk for a time maintained a keen pressure, until McWhinnie, the amateur and ex-Third Lanark forward, who style was exciting admiration, broke away with the help of Low and Edgar. From a nice pass by McWhinnie, Haxton, after worming about for position, tried Allan with a low shot. Against McTavish and Simpson, Gowie Robertson was not shining. Urquhart was exceedingly shaky, the specially when hard pressed, and repeatedly he almost let the Falkirk left wing and centre-forward in, Boyle covering up one of his misses almost under the crossbar. Lennie, on coming on again, got an encouraging cheer.

ABERDEEN SCORE TWICE

Leishman, endeavouring and artistic touch, was robbed of the ball by Henry Low, who galloped in his tearing style for goal, I and, taking plenty of time, beat Allan with a swift grounder, thus giving Aberdeen the lead. Smart forward work by Low to, Edgar, and McWhinnie was nullified by Edgar, whose parting shot was far off the mark. At the other end excitement was raised to fever pitch by a series of narrow escapes of the Aberdeen goal. Macfarlane just managed to get his hands on a high shot from McTavish, and fisted straight up, but fell as the ball was descending. Halkett's coolness saved the situation. He gently headed the ball to a safe corner and it was got away. Rab then saved brilliantly in a scrimmage, and a few minutes later tipped up to ticklish shot over the bar. Falkirk, playing a hard game, peppered away one at Macfarlane's charge, but the defence kept their end up. In one of the scrambles a penalty was claimed by Falkirk, but the referee took no notice. Gowie Robertson saved the situation on another occasion by a timely kick. Falkirk were extremely dangerous, their forwards being clever and fast, and the scratch Aberdeen defence had a hot time in keeping them out. Notwithstanding the marked superiority of Falkirk in the outfield, their colours were again lowered. Lennie getting the ball with a clear field raced down and crossed at the right moment, McWhinnie, who was on the spot, banging the ball into the net. Half-time came immediately after with the score:- Aberdeen, 3; Falkirk, 1.

SECOND HALF

Falkirk started eagerly, and were down on the Aberdeen lines in the first minute. Simpson, the Falkirk flier, beat Robertson and Boyle in the sprint, his shot going high. Lennie, getting the ball on the left, and beating several opponents, centred to Low who hesitated and muddled the chance. Edgar coming up, banged in, and Allan threw himself full length to save. The ball went about a yard only, and then Haxton banged into the net, but was given off side. Lennie again distinguished himself on the run and centred, Allan fisting the ball from McWhinnie's head. Play was bright and interesting, Aberdeen now giving quite as good a display forward as their opponents. Low forced his way through, his parting shot being high. Falkirk forced a corner, which proved fruitless. Aberdeen were suffering from the offside rule, Low being twice pulled up. A rousing run by the Aberdeen forwards had an exciting finish, Edgar sending in a low shot at short range which Allan held but failed to send away, the ball crossing the goal and rolling over the line before Lennie could reach it. Lennie took the corner kick, and, in the press, Allan had again to handle from Edgar. End to end was the rule of the day, and it was now Falkirk's turn to visit the ground team's quarters, where Simpson was conspicuous for useful work. Leishman, hard pressed by Lennie, had to kick back to Allan. Play slowed down, and no wonder, the heat bearing hard on the players. After some midfield work, Falkirk made a determined attempt at goal-getting, their efforts being frustrated by the Aberdeen backs, who were surer than in the first half. Lennie, being well plied with the ball, was much in evidence, his cross is being always dangerous, McWhinnie just failing to reach one of them a couple of yards from Allan. Away on the left Falkirk forced a corner, and Mitchell shot in hard, Macfarlane saving brilliantly. Macfarlane was in rare form, clearing another great shot in fearless style. Aberdeen then had a journey to the Falkirk end, where Allan held a long shot from Lennie, and later gave away a corner by fisting when the ball was going bye. McWhinnie failed to pick up a likely cross from Lennie.

COLLAPSE OF FALKIRK

A corner forced by McWhinnie off Gordon was placed well out by the amateur. Simpson headed to Haxton, who slipped it along to the outside left, Lennie scoring a fine goal with a hard, low drive, which Allan utterly failed to judge. Lennie was conspicuous again on the run, but shot over. After Macfarlane had been softly tried at the other end, Aberdeen returned, and McWhinnie shot in, Henry Low charging late, and turning a somersault as Allan went past him with the ball. Haxton scored a fifth goal with are raking shot, deftly trapping a neat pass from Halkett.

EXCITING INCIDENTS

At this stage the occupants of the north grand stand adjoining the press-box were startled by the outbreak of fire, smoke rising from beneath the stand. A spectator had dropped a match through a crevice in the floor of the stand, and some sawdust had caught fire. A pail of stale beer from the refreshment broom extinguished the blaze. Edgar was meanwhile being attended two for an injury, play having been stopped. Immediately on resuming, Haxton romped across the front of the Falkirk goal, and scored Aberdeen's sixth goal with an unsuitable shot, amid the cheers of the delighted crowd. Low almost did the trick again, a shot from his foot causing Allan to measure his length in giving away a corner.

The gate amounted to £140.

Source: Aberdeen Daily Journal, 11th September 1906.