Aberdeen 2 - 2 Motherwell

Play is not the prime factor in football. It may have its advantages, but when all the play, or at least two-thirds goes to one side and at the finish the teams are equal, it looks paradoxical to say so. This was proved up to the hilt on Saturday in the game with Motherwell; Aberdeen passed and juggled the ball in bewildering fashion, to discover at the end of their efforts one man who got the ball from the feet or heads of his opponents, and would not let it find the desired haven. In a word, the first half was disappointing in so much as the front line had opportunities to score which they either could not do or failed to reach the ball at the proper time.

Mackie and Lennie were the worst offenders in this respect. refreshed they set up a bombardment in the second period which was bound to tell, Lennie making rings round his opponents in his own inimitable way. Edgar led the way with a shot which beat Montgomery all the way. I have always understood the penalty rule to read that the player must intentionally handle, push, trip, charge, etc., an opponent, and if this interpretation is right, Mr. McGill made a mistake in giving the full award against Tom Strang. If he could by any stretch allow that there was intent, why did he not penalise Coleman, whose handling was more flagrant. Here you have the inconsistency of refereeing. With Motherwell on equal terms, Aberdeen set their supporters wild with delight at their tricky manipulation of the sphere, Strang, McAulay, and Edgar all missing by inches when right through the defence. A sudden break away, a miss by Davidson, and away went Motherwell; Boyle failed to get his man; Macfarlane saved, but Galbraith finished with a run in. To be a goal to the bad now was bitter after doing all the pressing work. It was after this that the appeal was made for the right back's handling, which was ignored, but McAulay equalised with a fine effort, and to the finish Aberdeen penned the Motherwell to their own end, but goals, they could not get.

It was this inequality in the order of things as they appeared on Saturday which led me to wish Aberdeen had a centre or a forward of any kind who had a fair idea of how to shoot, for at present, and for some weeks back, none of them seem able to terminate a decent run with a goal.

Chatty Bits

Had Rab been as fortunate as he was the previous week in the penalty line, his side would have been two points up instead of one. No one was more surprised at the penalty than Tom Strang. His face was a picture when he saw what had been done.
There was a great improvement in Paddy Boyle's tactics on Saturday, and we heartily congratulate him on his work.
Boyle was also a different player altogether, and well deserved the plaudits of the crowd.
Aberdeen spectators are most ungenerous to their own recruits. This was the case on Saturday with Davidson.
This young lad made one or two slips, but the derisive shouts that greeted him were shameful, and only made the player more nervous.
A little encouragement given to the lad would have made all the difference to him in his play.
As far as missing chances were concerned, he did nothing worse than several of the players with much more experience.
The drawings on Saturday came to over £119 all in.
At Dundee the A team were rewarded with a £20 to gate.
It required the strictest scrutiny of the linesmen on Saturday to keep the referee right.
If Port Glasgow do not get on with their cup-tie, Aberdeen will be out of a fixture on Saturday week.
I see no reason why the Scottish Clubs should not be compelled to play their ties in mid-week after the second-draw.
When will Aberdeen А gеt through their Northern League fixtures? Week nights will have to be resorted to.
Having lost both games to Dundee A, Aberdeen, in football at any rate, will have to play second fiddle.
I heard, on Saturday on the stands, that Aberdeen are after another centre-forward. Who is he?
I have been making inquiries as to his identity, but as yet have been unsuccessful in my object.
When we pat up the half-time result, everyone was confident the Celts would pull through.
Edinburgh has done the trick. If the Hearts have lost the League, they say they arc to win the Cup.
Aberdeen could be doing with Geordie McNicol this week, but they can't have him yet.
It is only now that they are beginning to realise his worth as a player.
Edgar had two clasps put above his eye on Saturday night. He anticipates, however, that he will be fit to play on Saturday.
Charlie Mackie has not come up to form vet. Whatever is the matter with him? He has not shown anything like the form he used to display at Pittodrie two seasons ago.
Perhaps the rest will do him good, and a close scrutiny of the front line in play may disclose the reason of the want of success.
There is football in Mackie, no doubt about that, but he seems to have failed to get into the knack of combining with the other.
The Celts will be a hard nut to crack at Pittodrie, especially if the pitch is heavy.
McLeod and Quinn will be absent from the Celts as they are both in the team against Wales.
The Celts, however, have as many class substitutes that the absence of these two players will make very little difference to their eleven.
Aberdeen would have preferred the Hearts tomorrow, so that they might have had a chance of experimenting on some new forwards.
At the time of writing the A's were without a fixture, though it was rumoured that they might go through to Huntly.
A suggestion reaches me from a correspondent, to the effect that the centre forward difficulty might have been solved ere this time had the directors persisted in playing Ward regularly there.
Ward came as a centre, says my friend, but never got a proper chance to show his paces. Had he been put forward as much as some of the others, he would have been going great guns by this time.
Look out for our half time results on Saturday. They are catching on and providing a great boon to the spectators.

Source: Bon-Accord, 2nd March 1906

The league match between Aberdeen and Motherwell, which was abandoned at half-time owing to bad weather in November, was played at Pittodrie on Saturday before 6000 spectators. Drive frosty weather, with a strong sun, made the conditions suitable for a fast game, but as the sun's rays softened the surface of the pitch, the ground was somewhat heavy. The teams were:-
Aberdeen: Macfarlane; Boyle, Gault; Halkett, Strang, H. Low; Davidson, McAulay, Mackie, Edgar, Lennie.
To Motherwell: Montgomery; Coleman, McLean; Sneddon, McNeill, McCallum; Richmond, Nicol, Galbraith, T. Findlay, R. Findlay.
Mr. McGill, Thornliebank, was referee.

Macfarlane, the Aberdeen captain, won the toss, and he elected to play towards the sea, with the sun behind, which, as there was no wind, was the only advantage to be gained by the choice of ends. Both teams started vigorously enough, and played stubbornly, but it cannot be said that during the first half either side showed sustained good play, or did anything particularly brilliant. Occasional flashes of front rank combination and speedy runs and tricky work on the wings there were, but otherwise the first half was dull. Motherwell played in a bustling, rushing style, and the result was that the Aberdeen players could not settle down to their favorited short-passing game. Strang, the Aberdeen centre half, was in early prominent, for strong, forcing work, and the game had not been long in progress when it was clearly demonstrated that the latest experiment of the management in substituting Davidson for Robertson at outside right was a blunder. Early in the game Edgar had his eye badly cut through his head coming into violent contact with the back of an opponent's head when attempting to head the ball, and Edgar had to leave the field to have his wound dressed. On returning after an absence of ten minutes, Edgar, despite the fact that his left eye it was almost closed, played up pluckily and cleverly, and right on to the end of the game was one of the most effective forwards on the field. The most dangerous Motherwell attacks came from the left wingers, whom Halkett and Boyle again and again completely failed to hold. But Boyle, on one occasion, missed his kick. Luckily the ball rolled over the line before R. Findlay could get his foot on it. Macfarlane got the first shots to hold, and guarded by Henry Low, he made a clumsy clearance, holding the ball for several moments before he was able to get it away. Half-way through the first portion of the game the Aberdeen team were playing very poorly. A fine bit of work by Strang, who slipped the ball onto Davidson, was followed by a dangerous cross from the right wingers, but Lennie missed the ball, and the Motherwell defence looked pleased. McAulay, at this point, and indeed throughout the game, played with masterly skill, I and, drawing out the Motherwell's defence repeatedly, made openings for Davidson and Mackie, all of which went for naught owing to the ineptitude of the outside right and the centre-forward. McAulay, as usual, however, some what detracted from his grand outfield work by his bad shooting, and when he threw away a likely chance offered as the result of clever play by Edgar and Lennie, by kicking weakly with his left foot, the crowd mildly groaned. Edgar, while lying frustrate, cleverly lifted the ball over the right back's head, but Montgomery saved. If the Aberdeen forwards were weak in front of goal, the Motherwell lot were, if possible, a degree worse. Richmond and R. Findlay had many fine runs, but the inside three, and Galbraith in particular, were weak at close quarters. Strang capped a nice piece of work by the Aberdeen forwards close in on the Motherwell goal, by dashing in and giving Montgomery a shot which was just about as much as he could hold, and a minute later Edgar had a flying drive, which the Motherwell goalkeeper cleared with difficulty. Edgar, working for goal, was tripped just inside the penalty area, but the referee gave a foul a foot outside the line. In the attack which followed McAulay shot hard into goal, Montgomery catching the ball in his arms and punting out. At the other end a rocket long-shot from R. Findlay was going straight for goal, but Gault with one of his never-failing headers changed the course of the leather into midfield. Boyle, who was cutting a sad figure against a Motherwell left wing, slipped at the critical moment, and in the scrimmage which followed the Aberdeen goal narrowly escaped. Again R.Findlay cleverly gave Boyle the slip, and finished with a great shot, which brought Macfarlane to his knees to save. At the other end Mackie and Lennie, in good positions, shot wide; but near the close of the first half Lennie was deservedly cheered for a great shot from the touchline which Montgomery, more by luck than good management, succeeded in turning out. When the whistle blew, the Aberdeen front rank were racing to wards Montgomery. The score at this stage indicates the run of play, as neither team was deserving of a goal.

A change came over the play in the second half, Aberdeen taking the game in hand, and with the exception of a few short periods forcing the pace, Low and Halkett improved. When the ball was kicked off, it was sent to Edgar, who dribbled up the field and finished with a shot which missed by inches. Then lower ran clear through the opposition, but stumbled when about to pass to Lennie. A foul against Strang allowed the visitors to make ground, and T. Findlay sent in a good shot, which Macfarlane run out to intercept. Motherwell held their own in Aberdeen Territory, and another shot by the inside left gave Macfarlane some anxiety. One the ball was traveling about two feet from the ground, and the goalkeeper dropped on his knees in the line of its flight. He overbalanced himself, and recovered just in time to grab the ball and throw out. It was a narrow squeak. Mackie earned distinction for a high leap over the recumbent Motherwell left back when he might have taken the ball. Boyle was still "at sea" with a Motherwell left wing, and he was responsible for letting R. Findlay lead the whole Motherwell forward line in a dash on Macfarlane. With only the goalkeeper to beat, the outside left sent the ball at an angle over the goal line. The Motherwell forwards were soon back again, and Gault tripped the outside right when he was clear away. The free cake was dangerously close in. Strang, however, headed out, and Coleman sent in a straight drive from 40 yards out, Macfarlane clearing smartly. Boyle repaid Coleman's complement by dropping a long shot into the Motherwell goal, Montgomery a being in position to receive it. Halkett was stunned for a few minutes by a kick on the jaw, but he recovered, and played much better than before. In a scrimmage in the Motherwell goalmouth Lennie wormed his way through and shot at point blank range, Montgomery scraping the ball away very luckily. Davidson followed up with a slow, screwing grounder which, simple as it looked, puzzled Montgomery, who had to go on his knees and give his body an awkward twist to hold the ball. The ensued a period of prolonged and most persistent pressure by Aberdeen, and the home forwards had hard lines in not being able to score. The Motherwell defenders were not over-particular in their methods at close quarters, and the slow-moving referee failed to observe three out of every four infringements. The goal, hard worked for, and know well deserved by Aberdeen was sure to come. Edgar got possession, and, coolly and methodically dribbling for position, he shot a fine goal, the ball striking the inside of the upright and glancing off into the net. Some what nettled, Motherwell broke away, but now are the clever left wing failed, Boyle tackling in dashing style and punting strongly. At the other end Davidson's judgment was at fault, as he seemed to be at a loss when to shoot and when to cross. McAulay, with a clever overhead kick, tried Montgomery, but the goalkeeper was on the spot. After another spell of pressure by Aberdeen, Motherwell broke away, and Gault and Richmond had a race, the back shouldering the fast winger over the line. From a pass by McAulay, Mackie tried a long shot, which Montgomery easily negotiated. At this stage game the first corner of the match, forced by Lennie and Edgar. The ball was kicked out, and then came an exciting bit of play, Gault racing the whole Motherwell forwards for possession. Gault 'cutely tipped the ball out to Halkett, and the attacking forwards' career was checked. Aberdeen certainly did not deserve the 11ill-luck which followed. Motherwell were at the Aberdeen end, and Strang one, intercepting a cross at the extreme edge of the penalty area, involuntarily touched the ball with his hand. There were several defenders behind Strang, and there was not the slightest necessity for handling, so that the granting of a penalty was certainly the hardest of luck for Aberdeen, who up to this point in the second half had Motherwell completely "bottled up." R.Findlay took the kick, and with a fast, low shot, beat Macfarlane. This unexpected and undeserved misfortune but the Aberdeen players on their mettle, and, led by Lennie and Edgar, they severely hammered the Motherwell defence. Low and then Davidson tried for goal. Aberdeen's play was now a pleasing to watch, their footwork being clever and accurate, and upset Motherwell completely. A break-a way by the Motherwell forwards looked dangerous, Strang averting danger by kicking the ball from a forward's toes over the goal line, and giving away a corner. Another disaster befell Aberdeen. There was a mix-up in the goalmouth, and, Macfarlane falling in attempting to clear, had the mortification, while lying on the ground, of watching Galbraith walking the ball into the net. What followed was pressure with a vengeance by Aberdeen, and in the determined attack the Motherwell defence went to pieces. Scrimmages in the Motherwell goalmouth was the order of the day, and in one of the onslaughts a Motherwell back fisted down the ball, but the referee he did not the angry cries of "Penalty." Still maintaining the pressure, Aberdeen, through Lennie, forced a corner. The ball was kicked out, and was intercepted by Gault, who drove and with admirable judgement over the heads of the players. McAulay sprang up and smartly headed the ball into the net, and the scores were equal again. Exciting play followed, Aberdeen working hard for the leading goal, with Motherwell outplayed at every point. Weakness at close quarters was the great fault of the Aberdeen forwards, shots by McAulay, Mackie, and Davidson lacking in force or direction. A centre from Davidson gave Mackie are rare chance in the closing minutes, but the Aberdeen centre shot high over the bar. The game ended with the score - Aberdeen 2, Motherwell 2. The result was a satisfactory to the Motherwell supporters as it was unsatisfactory to the home crowd, for if ever a team deserved to win it was Aberdeen on their play in the second half, which was a great improvement on that in the first period.
To the drawings that the gate amounted to £101, and at the stands to £19 - a total of £120.

Source: Aberdeen Daily Journal, 16th February 1906

One This return League fixture was fulfilled at Aberdeen on Saturday. The first half was equally contested without any scoring. In the second period both teams got a couple of goals. Aberdeen ought to have won, two bad slips allowing Motherwell to equalise. Result:- Two goals each.

Source: The Scotsman, 24th February 1906