Motherwell 3 - 2 Aberdeen

The Aberdeen team visited Motherwell and met the local club at Fir Park in a Scottish League fixture. The weather was very warm when the players turned out. There were several changes in the Aberdeen team, Edgar being off owing to an accident sustained when playing against the Hearts on Thursday, while Gault was also unable to play. The teams lined up as follows:-
Aberdeen: Macfarlane; Urquhart, Boyle; Halkett, Strang, H. Low; Ford, ward, McKinley, Haxton, Lennie.
Motherwell: Macdonald; McLean, Rattray; Sneddon, McNeil, McCallum; Richmond, Nicol, Reid, Donaldson, Robertson.
Referee - Mr. Stark, Airdrie.

The opening stages were favourable to Motherwell, their forwards being very smart. Richmond and Nicol, on the right, carried the ball in the direction of Macfarlane, and within a minute from the start Nicol made an effort to open the scoring, a low, swift drive being stopped by Macfarlane on the goal line. Breaking away in the centre, Aberdeen were soon at the other end, where McKinley forced his way through the defence, but his parting shot went wide of the goal. Motherwell, however, moved more freely than their opponents, Reid, the pivot, keeping the wing men busy with long, swinging passes. Once Macfarlane rushed out from goal, but he had plenty of time to reach the ball ere the Motherwell front rank got dangerous. Eight minutes from the start Motherwell opened the scoring, although the inside left and just previously missed an easy opening. The play leading up to the opening goal was the result of good work by the centre half. He placed well ahead to Reid, who runs straight for goal, beating the defence en route. Just before he shot, however, the Motherwell forward fouled the ball with his hand, which was not observed by the referee. Closing in on Macfarlane, Reid banged the ball into the net from a few yards range. Now that they had got the lead, Motherwell forced the pace to some purpose. The forwards appeared to have a thorough understanding between them, and McNeil at centre half back them up with plenty of well-judged passes. On one occasion the outside right got clear away, and but for Boyle's timely intervention, another goal might have been handed. A foul to Aberdeen in midfield was taken advantage of by Strang, who kicked the ball in the direction of Haxton. The latter at once shot for goal, McDonald getting down on his knees to a grounder, and clearing. One Motherwell, who were easily the better side so far, missed a rare opportunity of increasing their lead. Urquhart up was none too safe, and could not keep the Motherwell left winger in check. Pressing hard, the local men twice called upon Macfarlane to clear, but Reid was faulty in his shooting, when he received a neat cross from the left. Aberdeen rarely got past midfield, and hardly ever looked like scoring. Ward, however, made a good attempt to put his side on an equal footing, the goalkeeper saving a high shot and giving away a corner, which was easily cleared. McLean, at right back, was the strong man in the Motherwell defence, and invariably stopped any attempts to get through on the part of the Aberdeen forwards. Although over, however, there was a marked difference in the play of the two teams. Motherwell were full of life - up quick on the ball, and keeping the play nice and open. Aberdeen, on the other hand, were slow to seize any opportunity that came their way, and the players could not get settled down to their game. The heat was apparently too much for the northern men, who were also suffering from the efforts of their games against Queens Park and the Hearts on Monday and Thursday. This was evident from the easy manner in which the Motherwell forwards repeatedly tricked the Pittodrie half-backs and backs. Robertson (outside left) was particularly active for Motherwell and after 20 minutes' play he put his side two up. Donaldson brought up the ball, and passed out to the wing. Urquhart failed to reach the ball, and was easily passed on the run. Robertson men found himself in a nice position, I and, shooting with great force in the direction of the far corner of the net, Macfarlane was completely beaten. Two goals up and still driving home the attack, Motherwell outplayed Aberdeen at all points. A momentary rush by the visiting forwards ended in a chance shot by Haxton being charged down by Rattray. Lennie was a marked man, but getting clear after a good individual run, the outside left tried his luck at goal. Shooting fast and Lowe, Lennie almost succeeded in his object, the goalkeeper fumbling the ball on the ground, and more by good luck than anything else, McDonald managed to scrape the ball away. Nearing half-time, Macfarlane brought off a couple of magnificent saves. The first was a terrific shot by Reid near the penalty line. The centre directed the ball high up and with plenty of force behind it. The goalkeeper sprang up almost to the crossbar, and cleared his lines in capital style. Back came the Motherwell forwards, and Richmond, beating Boyle in a run down the wing, shot from about a dozen yards out for the far corner of the net. Macfarlane jumped up and just reached the ball with the tips of his fingers. Several good cross is by Lennie were badly missed by the centre and right wing - one in particular being lost by Ford, when a little steadiness and trapping of the ball would have done the trick. But it was Aberdeen's date out. Even the stray shots that did reach the Motherwell goalkeeper for devoid of sting. The home team kept their lead, and had at least three comparatively easy chances of adding to their score, but failed at close quarters.

One crossing over, Aberdeen made a change in their forward line, Lennie appearing at inside left, Haxton being transfer and to the outside. Lennie was early in evidence, busting through the defence right from the kick-off. McLean got in the way, however, and managed to clear. Richmond got many fine chances on the Motherwell right wing, the centre forward sending the ball out to the extreme forwards and every available opportunity. Aberdeen showed signs of improved play, and for a time Motherwell were busy defending their goal. There was little to choose between the teams, but the play was comparatively poor. McKinley, Lennie, and Ward did their utmost to open the scoring for their team, but there was a palpable weakness in the shooting. A third goal fell to Motherwell, but the game at this time did not point to them adding to their score. Indeed, Aberdeen, if anything, were having the best of matters, but a sudden breakaway by the Motherwell centre proved fatal to Aberdeen. Sprinting ahead, Reid quipped the ball out to the right, where Richmond picked up the pass, and immediately made for goal. Shooting strongly on the run, Macfarlane stepped out to clear the right wing's drive for goal. He stopped the ball, but failed to get it the way before Reid rushed up and slipped it into the net. Three goals down, Aberdeen were now are practically unbeaten team. However, Lennie did not lose heart, and twice sent Haxton on his way with neat passes. The latter had a clear field on both occasions, and once in particular he ought to have finished a good bit of play without goal. He was only a yard from McDonald, but somehow he sent the ball across the goalmouth instead of turning sharply and tipping it into the net. A brilliant run by Robertson brought the play to the Aberdeen end. Halkett, in attempting to kick the ball, missed it entirely, and twisted his knee. He went and played back,U while Urquhart came in at half. Twice and Boyle blocked capital shots by the Motherwell left winger. Twenty minutes from time McKinley forced his way through the Motherwell defence, but was hampered when in the act of shooting. The ball came across to Ward, who shot a splendid goal from near the penalty line, the ball taking a curve in its course and landing high up in the net, and out of the goalkeepers reach. Towards the end of the game Macfarlane nearly gave away a couple of goals. He ran out on one occasion, and completely missed the ball, which bounced high in the air. No one was in goal, but luckily Henry Low rushed back and cleared almost under the crossbar. The goalkeeper was again at fault in dropping the ball at his feet instead of clearing, and it was really remarkable how Motherwell did not profit by their chances. But the pace was beginning to tell on them. Aberdeen rallied in spirited fashion, and six minutes from time Ward got a second goal. Lennie had got hard near midfield, and while lying on the ground, the Motherwell men grew up until the left-winger could get on his feet again. The referee did not stop the play, so McKinley and Ward at once made tracks for goal. Racing ahead, the payer bore down on McDonald, who could have cleared had he chosen to rush out. However, he preferred to stay in goal, with the result Dundee inside right gave him no chance with a shot from close range. Aberdeen pressed till the close, but could not get level, the game ending:-Motherwell, 3 goals; Aberdeen, 2. The winners were value for their two points, this being their first victory for the season. Aberdeen did well towards the close but for three-fourths of the game they played very indifferently. The divisible gate amounted to £77 3s 9d.

Source: Aberdeen Daily Journal, 1st October 1906

A Bad Finish.

After defeating Queen's Park, and winning the McRae Cup from Hearts on Thursday, it was bad form on the part of Aberdeen to succumb to Motherwell at Fir Park. Had it been a game in which ordinary tactics were employed, Aberdeen even in their handicapped condition might have won. It was a case of pure determination on the part of the home side to get points at any cost, no matter what opposition was in front. Judging by the determined way the Fir Parkers set off, they would have swept aside the Atlantic to get through. Rab Macfarlane had to resort to all his well-known devices to keep the persistent attack from beating him. He could not be always there, so it was no wonder to us when at last he got left, only to be followed by a second goal shortly after. Aberdeen were seldom dangerous and the bulk of the work was thrown on the defence. In the second period there was a change in tactics. After Motherwell had got their third goal, the "Wasps" went at it in that hammer-and-tongs style, and cleverly scored two goals. They ought to have finished with last year's result, had Haxton just been a trifle more active. After a stiff game Motherwell succeeded in keeping their lead, and thus secured their first points for the season.

Until well on in the second half, Aberdeen's combination was anywhere but on Fir Park. Towards the close there were a few turns of what we had seen against Queen's Park and Hearts but that was all. The halves and backs stood up well to the rushes of the Motherwell, who drove ahead at a great pace for a while. Aberdeen require a new right wing and the sooner they set about getting one the better, if points in the League are to be of any value to the club.

Source: Bon-Accord, 4th October 1909