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matches

Aberdeen 1 - 0 Celtic

HT Score: Aberdeen 1 - 0 Celtic

Div 1 (Old)
Aberdeen scorers: Ward.

03/03/1906 | KO:

Well Played, Aberdeen!

Played at Pittodrie before 7000 spectators. Aberdeen were all over the Celts in the first half, Ward scoring a lovely goal. In the second period, Celts had only one really good chance, Bennett shooting with nobody in goal, when W. Low stepped in and saved. At the close, H. Low scored twice for Aberdeen and had them both knocked off for off-side. Result:- Aberdeen, one goal, Celtic, nothing.

Source: The Scotsman, 1906-03-05

The Celtic required only to beat Aberdeen to win the championship of the Scottish League; but although they tried hard, they were unable to do so, Aberdeen winning an exciting game by a goal to nil. The game, which was played at Pittodrie, under conditions pleasant for both players and spectators, was witnessed by a crowd of about 10,000 people. Mr. Muir, Motherwell, was referee.

MacFarlane lost the toss, and Aberdeen were sent to defend the east goal, with the sun's rays in their faces. The game started briskly, and the players on both sides at once settled down, and got into their stride. The ball travelled at great speed from end to end, and Burnett, who lay well up between the Aberdeen backs made off with a clear field, but was pulled up for offside. McAulay and Lennie, by clever footwork and passing, worked the ball into Celtic territory, and for a few minutes the pressure maintained by Aberdeen was of the keenest. Henry Low and then Lennie sent in fast shots, which Adams smartly cleared. Henry Low was a dashing centre, and Ward and Robertson were proving a fast and dangerous wing. Ward's well-timed passes to Robertson were very valuable to his side, and it was from a cute slip out to his partner that Robertson got away on a speedy run, which he finished with a rocket shot. Adams, by a remarkable display of agility, made a great save. Henry Low's shooting was deadly. One of his straight drives was fisted away by Adams, but back came the ball with terrific force from Lennie?s foot, the Celtic goalkeeper springing up and fisting over the bar. The Celts raised the siege, Garry and McMenemy racing away on the right in fine style. Garry's cross to Bennett was well meant, but Gault lunged in with his head and turned the ball up the field. A Celtic half intercepted, and slipped on to Bennett, who, dodging and darting, was close in on MacFarlane, when Wilfred Low ran in across his line of advance. MacFarlane pounced on the ball, cleverly dodged Bennett and Somers, and kicked out. At the other end Lennie banged across the goal. Ward darted in, sprang four feet in the air, and headed the ball swiftly into the Celtic goal, Adams catching it and throwing out. Halkett picked up the return, and drove low with all his force, a Celt luckily intercepting. Ward again worked into position, and shot with deadly accuracy, Orr kicking round the post and giving away the corner. Wilfred Low stopped an dangerous run by Garry and McMenemy. Bennett and Hamilton were continually lying offside. Robertson raised enthusiasm by a speedy run, and at six yards range he flashed a shot which Adams cleverly held. The repeated narrow escape of the goal roused the Celtic, and they burst through the Aberdeen lines, Bennett heading close in. Wilfred Low stuck to Somers, who got the ball, and all the Celts got was a corner. Play was soon transferred to the other end, and Lennie, who was being too closely watched to shine, dashing up the wing in characteristic style. Although tripped, the little dodger recovered and ran on, his parting shot being wide. Then Strang and Henry Low ploughed through the Celts, and Low shot with great force. The ball darted across the Celtic goal, and was driven in low and fast by Lennie, Adams again saving brilliantly. Bennett was a lively one at close quarters, and he ended a clever dodging run by dribbling round three or four opponents close in, and shooting over the line on the wrong side of the upright. The pace began to tell on Aberdeen, and Celtic taking full advantage of the falling off, kept the home team in their own territory. Robertson, by a speedy run along the touchline, relieved the pressure. From a clever pass by Ward, Henry Low darted past the Celtic backs, and was about to shoot when he slipped, and was knocked off by Orr, who had to give away a corner. Then there was a danger at the other end. Hamilton, sprinting at full speed, beat Halkett and Boyle and crossed the ball. Halkett, circling back, intercepted the pass and kicked over the line, giving away a corner. From far out, Wilson sent in a deadly drive, Boyle clearing by heading over the bar. Celtic continued to press. MacFarlane saved brilliantly on the line from a fast low shot by Garry, and a minute or two later he was loudly cheered for a plucky save, effected from amid a group of eager Celts. Bennett was through when he was tripped by Gault on the penalty line. The Celt stumbled, but did not fall. He manoeuvred to hoodwinking MacFarlane, and for his pains had the ball taken from his toes. The Celts kept peppering away, but they could not beat Macfarlane, who saved smartly twice in succession - first from Bennett, and then from Hamilton at the expense of a corner. Aberdeen then took up the running and exciting play ensued. After Lennie had outwitted Young and Hay he passed the ball ahead, and Henry Low dashed through between the backs, and, with the ball at his feet, and, with a yard start, he raced them to goal. Near the line Hay was so close up that he was able to kick Low's heels, but the Aberdeen centre held on his way and drove across the goal. Ward was in his place, and stopped the ball and shot it into the net, scoring a grand goal. Celtic now played with grim determination. A cross from Hamilton, who was clearly offside, almost brought about the equaliser. MacFarlane misjudging the cross, was clean beaten but both Bennett and McMenemy failed to get their heads on the ball and it went over the line. Within a few minutes the Aberdeen goal had another lucky escape. The Celts worked hard for the equaliser. They claimed a penalty, but the forward who fell had himself to blame, and the referee, after consulting the linesman, ordered the game to proceed. Young was twice penalised for his attentions to Lennie, who was too tricky for the fair-haired half-back. A foul was given against Adams for carrying the ball too far in his hands, and from the kick McAulay almost scored close in, Adams, luckily, being in line of fire, Half-time - Aberdeen 1; Celtic, 0. But for the grand goalkeeping of Adams, Aberdeen would have crossed over with a more substantial lead.

Celtic changed their tactics in the second half, the backs and half-backs banging the ball, and trusting to the speed of their forwards to snatch a goal. Aberdeen were the first to be dangerous. McAulay drew out the Celtic defence, and Henry Low was let off at full gallop. Adams left his goal, and Low, darting to one side, drove hard for the empty goal. The shot was wide. A neat place by Halkett was picked up by Robertson who crossed, and Low headed into goal. The ball was sent bye. From a cute pass ahead by Ward through Lonie's legs Low shot in with terrific force, Orr intercepting and giving away a corner. Hamilton at the other end of the field ended a clever run by swerving round into goal, and flashing the ball between the posts. MacFarlane stopped the shot on the line, and kicked out. The Aberdeen forwards went to the other end, where from a pass by Ward Robertson shot past. A spell of grand play by Aberdeen ensued. Robertson centred accurately from the touch line, and Henry Low headed into the Celtic goal, which had a narrow escape. A corner off Gault let the Celtic forwards in, and Wilfred Low headed past and gave away a second corner, Boyle bringing relief with a strong header. After some desperate outfield work in the course of which Young on the one side and Wilfred Low on the other were penalised for fouls. In a hot attack by Celtic, Boyle almost headed through his own goal. Gault, however, stepped in behind his partner, and kicked out. Boyle worried by Bennett, conceded another corner, and from the kick MacFarlane saved on the line. Celts were not to be shaken off, and again returned the ball, MacFarlane, who fell in stopping the shot, effected a brilliant save while lying on the ground, by throwing the ball over the heads of three Celts, who were charging in on him. Aberdeen's goal had several narrow escapes. McMenemy and Bennett between them muddled a few yards from MacFarlane, the shot being skied owing to the two kicking the ball. Later MacFarlane fisted straight out, the ball going to Wilson, who dashed in, and was almost through when Gault scraped the ball over the line. From the corner kick Boyle punted up the field in a scrimmage. For twenty minutes Celtic did all the pressing, but they failed to beat Boyle, Gault, and MacFarlane. When Aberdeen again took up the pressure, Young headed out a raking shot from Strang, and a long shot by Low, which was held by Adams, had not sufficient force. Adams also saved one of Lennie?s long, dropping shots, and Low missed a fine cross by Robertson. Strang sent in a terrific drive which Adams caught just by the post. Boyle smartly robbed Bennett, and punted up the field to Lennie. The ball was passed across to Robertosn, who ran on and centred, Ward just failing to get his kick in at the critical moment. Halkett tried Adams with a fast shot, which the Celtic goalkeeper had difficulty in stopping, and a minute later Ward sent in a swift grounder, which Adams tipped with his fingers, the ball rolling across the goal, with nobody up to put it through, and going over the line a foot on the other side of the upright. From the corner kick, the Celts broke away, and MacFarlane foolishly ran out from his goal, the result being that a shot was sent into the open goal. Wilfred Low ran back, and with a screw kick, lifted the ball out when it was only a foot from the line. Henry Low was clear away when he was tripped by Wilson. From the free kick the ball was sent over. Robertson and Orr had a great race, and the Celtic back had to give away a corner. Celtic went to the west goal, where Gault cleared close in, and MacFarlane saved and threw out in a scrimmage. Wilfred Low placed to the centre, where his brother was waiting. Henry dashed in on Adams, and shot a great goal, but the whistle had previousy sounded for offside. The Celtic players now resorted to desperate measures. The goalkeeper came out to the midfield line, and stood there, and the Celts played the one-back game to perfection. Low four times, when he had got started on the run, was pulled up, and if ever the off-side rule seemed stupid and vexatious, it was t this juncture in what had been a great game, but which was now completely spoiled by the Celtic's unsportsmanlike and win-at-any-price tactics. With five minutes to go the excitement of the spectators was at fever heat. Adams, at midfield, kicked the ball against Orr's legs, and Robertson, from a few yards on the Aberdeen side of the mid-line, sprinted down and banged the ball into midfield, well behind the Celtic goalkeeper. Before Adams could turn and get up speed, Henry Low darted past him, and beating him easily on the run, sprinted on towards the empty goal, and banged the ball into the empty net. After the goal had been scored the referee gave Low offside, and deprived Aberdeen of a clean and well-taken goal. As the Celts apperaered to be resolved to at least equalise at all costs, Aberdeen determined to beat them at their own game, and several big kicks by Boyle kept the ball out of play so that the last few minutes soon passed, and the whistle blew with Aberdeen victors on one of the hardest and most exciting games ever played at Pittodrie. Final score - Aberdeen 1, Celtic 0. Aberdeen deserved their victory, for they played a better game than the Celts. Every man on the Aberdeen side played well, and it would be difficult to make a selection. Divisible drawings, £190; Stands, £30.

Source: Aberdeen Journal, 5th March 1906

The greatest dubiety existed on Saturday among the spectators as to the actual result of the match. Out of three capital goals Aberdeen were only awarded one as legitimate by the referee. Onå wonders now, in the light of what happened in the second half, if the latter had not qualms of conscience in allowing a goal at all. The absurdity of his decision, which affected the second goal Henry Low scored, was apparent when he gave the free kick about four yards or so outside the penalty line. If Low was offside it was when he started inside Aberdeen's area of the field, for the ball was planted by Robertson from there well out on to a Celtic man. The centre fastening on beat Adams about half-way between midfield and his goal line, and it was only when the ball was in the net that the referee, on being appealed to by the Celtic players, disallowed the point. "The referee's decision is final," so there's, an end to it.

It was an eye-opener to most present when Aberdeen, with a brand new centre and inside right, set the ball à-ãîlling westwards, getting on some fine combination, and finally testing Adams with several stinging shots. Luck helped Adams, though he deserves credit for the smart way he cleared, but he has not got such a peppering for many a day as he received at Pittodrie during the first ten minutes. What a pace it was, fast and furious, the steam rising from the players like the haze which hung over the grounds. Hamilton got in one or two fine runs on the left, but Halket and Boyle both hung on him till he had to part either too square of behind. Bennet had also one or two chances which he let go softly. The Celts' shooting was very soft in comparison to Aberdeen's, and Macfarlane had on only one great save in the first period. It was a great game the first forty-five, but the second was even better, though the referee seemed to lose grasp of the players and allowed too many familiarities, both with tongue and play, which ought not to have been tolerated. Young's flying leaps at Lennie riled the spectators, and a mere warning and a free kick for dangerous play, repeated over and over again, were hardly commensurate for the offences. The Celts got anxious as time wore on, and every device on the board was tried to equalise, and only once, when Macfarlane ran out and fell, were they near the thing. Every time, Gault or Boyle was on the spot, and when either failed, that fine specimen of humanity, W. Low, got there. He was a wonder. "Sunny Jim" could make nothing of him, "Wolfie" could give a little more than he got every chance. After an hour's play, the two incidents already referred to, occurred, in which Henry Low, by sheer speed beat the opposition twice and scored, only to find them chalked off. It was enough to cause a riot towards the close. The Celts failed to score, and Aberdeen won a game by one goal which they deserved to win.

The Players

Only one of the Celts impressed me as a man above anyone I had seen this season at Pittodrie or elsewhere, and that was Adams in goal. He was superb in everything he did. Orr saved well at time, but was erratic, none of the halves were so good as I have seen them, while Hamilton was the best in the front line. He crossed beautifully several times, but Bennett was too wee to get on them with Tom Strang on his top. It certainly looks a bit odd that Aberdeen should have had such a fine front line at their disposal like Saturday's, and go on losing week after week. They had a splendidly balanced lot from stem to stern, who worked like one an. Their mistakes were few and excusable. The only goal allowed was as fine a bit of work as I have seen. Lennie scooped the ball, with Henry Low in close attendance, who slipped to Ward just as he got his pins taken from him, but the inside right made no mistake. So vat an improvement was observable that I trust the players will have a reputation second to none as a class team.

Source: Bon-Accord, 9th March 1906

Chatty Bits

Though everyone likes Johnny Edgar and regretted that his accident prevented him playing on Saturday, it revealed a new order of things quite unknown.
It was only known at the last minute that inflammation prevented Edgar from taking part in the game, and the rearrangement was made half-an-hour before the game started.
Lennie was the "midget" on Saturday, being clean overshadowed by three tall inside men.
"Sunny Jim" got several nasty coups in his attempts to bowl Lennie over the touch line. The left winger was too smart by a long way for the burly Celt.
A peaceful smile rested on the directors' faces when they saw such fine weather after the terrible week of storm.
As the turnstiles flew round the manager and treasurer's faces beamed. £223 all in was not bad, but it would have been more had the weather settled earlier.
The Aberdeen crowd were simply in ecstasies over their team's play.
Ward never created a more favourable impression on the crowd than he did on Saturday.
One good point I liked about him was that he never hung on the ball, but slipped it out or in as the way was clear.
Henry Low made the very best shape at centre forward of any that has been tried yet.
W. Low was the best half on the field by a long way. He could make them all sit up.
Halket has not got back to his old form yet, though he did some very smart things on Saturday.
Aberdeen have still to meet Port Glasgow and Partick Thistle before their League games finish. Then thy have the East of Scotland League and Inter-City League games to tackle.
Aberdeen A had out their new recruits at Huntly on Saturday. They put up a record score.
Young Simpson, who got among the goals, would appear to be a catch.
I hear that Tom Ruddiman is to help Huntly on the 17th in the County final.
Bob Murray went to assist Forfar Athletic in the final of the Forfarshire Cup. The game ended - a draw of one goal each. Bob will have to reappear again.
Forfar were anxious for Brebner, but he was committed to Cup ties.

A Ballad of the "Black-and-Gold."

(With Apologies to Byron.)

The Celtic came down like a wolf on the fold,
Their teeth all agleam for the poor Black-and-Gold ;
And the roar of the crowd, as they stepped on the lea,
Must have startled the dwellers in classic Footdee!

Like the leaves of the forest, all decked in their green
The Celts, bright and buoyant, at kick-off were seen
Like the leaves of the forest, when Autumn hath flown
That team at the finish lay beaten and "blown" !

For brave Harry Low spread his "wings" to the blast
And grinned in the face of the foe as he "passed"
And the eyes of the Celts opened wide at the skill
Of our nimble wee Lennie - he never was still !

Alas! where was Adams - his goal gaping wide -
That Ward's deadly dart he may not dash aside?
The Celt "ring" is silent, their idols overthrown;
The "cutters" unemptied, the trumpets unblown!

Again and again the green tide of assault,
Goal-battled, recoils. They find Boyle and Gault
Defenders inviolate, aided, as now,
By Halkett and Strang and the stout Wilfrid Low!

And where stands our skipper? Nor daunted nor pale
Looks-he now, good old Rab, in his striped shirt of mail;
For the Hag of the Celts in the dust has been lowerd
Before the fierce onset of bold Bon-Accord !

G. B. R.

Source: Bon-Accord, 9th March 1906

Aberdeen Teamsheet
MacFarlane, Boyle, Gault, Halkett, Strang, Low, Robertson, Ward, Low, McAulay, Lennie.
Celtic Teamsheet
Adams; Hay, Orr; Young, Lonie, Wilson; Garry, McMannemy, Bennett, Somers, Hamilton
Attendance: 10,500
Venue: Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen
Referee: Mr. Muir, Motherwell