Aberdeen 3 - 1 Alloa Athletic

GOOD WORK BY MILLS IN THE HOME ATTACK

(By "MAC.")

ABERDEEN won even more easily than the score suggests. They were ahead of the Alloa side both individually and as a team.
The Dons were particularly effective in the first half when they kept the ball on the ground and, by clever football, opened up the opposing defence.
The visitors lacked method, the forwards failing to work as a line.
Mills was prominent with clever opening-up work and had a steadying influence on the Aberdeen attack.

Interest in the Aberdeen-Alloa match at Pittodrie this afternoon was increased by the appearance in the home side of Willie Mills, the Huddersfield inside left.
The Dons were forced to make a late change in attack, Taylor coming in for Williams at outside left.

DEFENCE TESTED

BUT DONS WEATHER THE STORM

The Aberdeen defence was in the thick of the fray right from the start. Alloa crowded on all sail. but the home team weathered the opening storm and attempted to make ground by keeping the ball on the carpet.
The first real danger to the Dons' goal came from a corner on the left. Fitzsimmons made the hall curl dangerous. but Waddell headed clear. A free kick against Graham for upsetting McNeil held a threat. The ball was "spotted" just outside the penalty. but Fitzsimmons blasted the ball past.

SMART INTER-PASSING

Then came a clever run on the left by Mills and Taylor. Smart inter-passing by this pair took the hall from their own hail of the field to the vicinity of the Alloa penalty area. Taylor released a terrific shot. but Hamilton charged it down. This was followed by a dashing run by Smith. Pattillo let the winger away. Smith raced in from the wing, flew past Ferguson and then sent the ball past the far post.

PENALTY GOAL

With fifteen minutes gone the Dons took the lead. Smith and Pattillo went hurtling through the visiting defence, and just as the centre was about to shoot he was tripped by Ferguson. GEORGE THOMSON took the kick and cleverly beat Culley with a low shot.
For a time Alloa pressed strongly, but there was a lack of method about their work and the home defence was in good form.
The Dons increased their lead in twenty-five minutes. Again Pattillo sent Smith away on the right. The winger cut the ball into the middle along the ground. Culley sprawled and missed it, and then both Hamilton and Bain dashed for possession. The right back, attempting to clear, turned the ball into his own goal. The ball appeared to be over the line. but Bain made siccar.

JOHNSTONE'S FIRST SAVE

The Alloa defenders were sending the ball too far ahead of the forwards. A corner on the right by Moore was cleared, and then Johnstone made his first direct save when he grasped a long shot from Izatt. Following this there was an exciting moment in the Aberdeen goalmouth. Both Farrell and Rice made unsuccessful attempts to flick the ball into the net, but eventually Johnstone cleared.
The Alloa centre made a better effort when he Jumped to screw a cross from Fitzsimmons past the post with his head.

POOR JUDGMENT,/p> The Alloa attack was playing into the hands of the home defence. They showed poor judgment in finding their man, and nine times out of ten when a goal seemed likely an Aberdeen back or half-back stepped in to clear.
McDonell had a good try, but Johnstone saved. Mills was clever in the home attack. His sound ball control and ability to open up the game made him invaluable.

A NEAR THING
GRAHAM CLEARS NEAR THE LINE

A blunder by Waddell almost led to a goal in the opening minutes. Fitzsimmons intercepted a pass back by the centre-half, and his shot was curling into the net off the post when Graham dashed in to clear. Next minute Farrell. at close range, failed to get his boot properly to a cross from Fitzsimmons and Johnstone cleared.
Then the home 'keeper saved a header from McNeil following a corner from Moore. When Pattillo raced away on the home right and cut the ball in Culley had to rush from his goal to clear.

TERRIFIC SHOT

Bain and Smith made ground on the right and the winger swung the ball over to Taylor. The left winger gently trundled the ball back to Thomson, and Culley stopped a terrific shot from the left half near the post. He was soon in action again to a high shot from Smith.
Two quick corners for Alloa on the right were cleared. and then in a rapid counter-attack engineered by Mills, Bain spoiled things by losing control of the ball.

MORE DANGEROUS

Alloa were more dangerous this half than they had been in the opening period. Moore fastened on to a hard cross from Fitzsimmons to bring Johnstone into action.
Mills came into prominence again with a surprise drive. The ball eluded the 'keeper, but struck the iron stanchion outside the net. With twenty-five minutes gone PATTILLO burst through a crowd of players to rush a cross from Smith into the net.
Aberdeen had the game well in hand now. Alloa struggled on gamely. but their ideas were poor.

SNAP GOAL

In thirty-five minutes, however, they got a goal to cheer them up. FITZSIMMONS was roving in the middle when McNeil sent the ball through to him. The winger pounced on it, raced goalwards, and beat Johnstone as the 'keeper left his charge.
Aberdeen quickly got back to the attack again, and when Mills had edged the ball out to his partner Taylor came running in to drive it over the bar.

Source: Evening Express, 27th January 1940