Johnstone 2 - 1 Aberdeen

At Johnstone. The visitors started well, and for the first quarter of an hour attacked consistently. They were unfortunate at goal, however. Johnstone could make little headway but Irvine managed to run through and score, the locals thus leading at the interval. In the second half the northerners were granted a penalty, from which H. Low scored, but Dougal after stubborn work, again gave Johnstone the lead, which they maintained to the end. Aberdeen lodged a protest on the grounds that the field lines were not parallel. Result:- Johnstone, two goals; Aberdeen, one goal.

Source: The Scotsman, 11th February 1907

Aberdeen and Johnstone, having drawn their tie in the first round for the Scottish Cup at Pittodrie a fortnight ago, met in the replay at Johnstone on Saturday. The ground was very soft, and long before the game was finished the pitch was a perfect quagmire. In several parts the mud was ankle deep, while here and they are pools of water could be seen. There were fully 4000 spectators present at the start. The teams lined up as follows:-

Aberdeen: Macfarlane; Gault, Brebner; Halkett, Strang, W. Low; Ward, H Low, McKinley, O'Hagan, Lennie.
Johnstone: R. Mccormick; Armour, James McCormick; Mercer, Bowie, McClymont; Roberts, Dougal, Reid, Frame, Irvine.
Referee - Mr. Nisbet, Edinburgh.

Aberdeen won the toss, and played with the wind at their backs. The opening passages were in favour of Aberdeen, with Lennie prominent in the attack. The first attempt at goal came from the left winger, a fast shot being sent in a little wide of the mark. Aberdeen continued to monopolise the play, and were evidently bent on gaining the lead thus early in the game. A lovely cross by Lennie was headed over the bar by the Johnstone left back in his anxiety to clear. Good football was practical eight out of the question, and, looking at the fearful condition of the ground, the only course left was to drive the ball straight ahead, and quick following up. Any attempt at short passing was entirely out of the question, and although Aberdeen did occasionally lapse into this style of play, they soon found out the policy was a mistake and one. Gradually the Johnstone players forced the game in the direction of Macfarlane. Reid was prominent in the centre for dashing, go-ahead play, and from one of his sudden bursts down the centre of the field he narrowly missed scoring. Wilfred Low crossed over in time, and averted danger. Brebner, too, was reliable both in his kicking and tackling, but the Johnstone team played up determinedly, and all over for the smarter lot. The game rolled very even for a time. Aberdeen forced the pace through Henry Low and Lennie, and when the latter brought off a clever dribble, everything pointed to Aberdeen taking the lead. However, within a yard of the penalty line, the outside left was tripped, and nothing was gained by the free kick. H. Low worked the ball beautifully along the right wing, and a smart pass to Ward was spoiled by that player shooting high over the bar. Smart play by the Johnstone halves enabled Reid to get the way in the centre. Nearing Macfarlane, Reid shot straight for goal, but the man between the posts was equal to the emergency, and brought off a clever save. The Johnstone players got plenty of encouragement from the spectators, and the local team responded with repeated attacks on the Aberdeen goal. Henry Low got away on the right, slipping both backs. Passing well ahead, Lennie sprinted across from the left, and there ensued a race between the home goalkeeper and the Aberdeen outside left for possession. The former got to the ball first, and kicked clear. Johnston's go-ahead methods, however, were better suited to the ground, and there was always an element of danger when their win forward got sent agoing. The Aberdeen backs and halves had to work tremendously hard in order to keep their goal clear. A long shot by Bowie was finally cleared by Macfarlane, while Brebner and W. Low got rid of very dangerous crosses from both wings. Halkett had a clever pair to look after, and, although occasionally beaten by the outside man, the right half put in a lot of useful work. Lennie and Henry Lowe did the bulk of the forward work - such as it was - but they were opposed by a sound pair of backs. Ultimately, several of the players got covered from head to feet with mud, and very often the ball but firmly embedded on the sodden ground. Miskicking was frequent, but mistakes under the circumstances were excusable. Thirty minutes play went past, with Johnstone the better side of the two. A quick movement by the home right wing proved too much for the Aberdeen defence. Roberts worked himself into a fine position, and centred squarely in front of Macfarlane. The backs were beaten, and although the Johnstone centre and inside left both missed the ball, the outside left was on the ball in a twinkling, and banged it into the net. Macfarlane had no chance of saving. Aberdeen made desperate efforts to equalise, but could make no headway against the Johnstone defence. Henry Low and McKinley, however, did manage to get through, but the two forwards were slow in their movements, and the chance was lost, Bowie rushing in and clearing.

The second half had a sensational opening. With the wind in their favour, Johnstone were expected to increase their lead but Aberdeen managed to equalise in the first few minutes. Lennie was very active on the left wing, dribbling cleverly ahead, and when clear of the backs the Aberdeen forward was on the point of shooting when one of the defenders caught hold of him. The incident happened inside the penalty line, and the referee at once pointed to the 18yards line. Henry Low took the kick, and banged the ball into the net. Now on level terms, the teams renewed the struggle with increased vigour. The pitch, however, was in a terrible state, and sever of the players were scarcely recognisable. Indeed, the condition of the ground was such that it was impossible to convey a correct idea of the enclosure. The ball at times went skidding through pools of water, while on other occasions it barely went half a dozen yards, no matter how hard the players attempted to drive ahead. After Aberdeen got their goal the game turned in their favour. Johnstone slowed down, and were apparently taken aback at the sudden change in affairs. Spurred by their friends, however, the wing forwards - admirably fed by Reid from the centre -time and again threatened danger. Thrice Macfarlane saved marvellously, each shot coming to the goalkeeper with great force. Once Reid got clean through, and had only the goalkeeper to beat, but Macfarlane was an readiness, and cleared when all seemed lost. Corners and centres from right and left were equally dealt with by the Aberdeen goalkeeper. Lennie was the only Aberdeen forward capable of carrying the play towards the Johnstone end, but he got poor support. Half-way through the second period Johnstone took the lead. The outside left tricked Halkett, and then got the better of Gault. Irvine centred squarely, and Dougal, rushing in, met the ball with his head, Macfarlane having no chance to save. At this stage Halkett went off limping badly. A long pass from W. Low to Lennie was followed by a smart run and a hard drive for goal, McCormack bringing off one of the best saves of the game. Halkett resumed shortly afterwards, playing at outside right, Ward being inside, and Henry Low right half. The new forward shaped uncommonly well, several of his runs and crosses being finely executed. Latterly the play ruled fairly even, but the quality of the football need not be described. The ball had to be propelled as best the players could, and it can safely be said that both teams will not readily forget their experience for some time to come. Johnstone were the better team till the finish, and the game ended - Johnstone, 2 goals; Aberdeen, 1.

The winners got a great reception at the finish, and the margin in their favour would have been much bigger but for the fine goalkeeping of Macfarlane in the second half. Brebner also did well. The halves worked hard, and little fault could be found in their display. Lennie and Henry Low were the best of the forwards. The Johnstone team played confidently all through, their defence in particular being very sound. All three halves were good, and their centre and wing forwards fast and clever.

The gate amounted to £78. Aberdeen lodged a protest on the ground that the penalty area was not properly marked out.

Source: Aberdeen Daily Journal, 11th February 1907

Aberdeen in the Dumps.

The Payers.

Johnstone were well served by Armour and McCormick. They are a not what would be termed brilliant backs, but they get there - man or ball. The halves are a never-tiring set, with a set of forwards in front of them as full of dash as could be desired, though Irvine is the smartest of the lot. Macfarlane was brilliant in goal, with Brebner the better of the two backs, Gault being somewhat unsteady. It was heroic of Brebner to continue playing when it was found at the finish that his knee-cap had been partly displaced, and other kicks besides. The halves did not get in so much work as we have seen them, while the for¬wards, had they had a better centre, might have come through. The left was undoubtedly the strongest, while Ward was not a success at the outside.

Aberdeen and a Protest.

Aberdeen protested against Johnstone on the lines on the field not being marked off according to rule, and at a meeting of the Scottish Association on Tuesday the Committee dismissed the protest. Aberdeen does not seem to be in great favour at the headquarters of either body just now, judging by the treatment they are receiving.

Chatty Bits.

It was a mistake to change the front line from that which was originally chosen.
We fancy that Macdonald would have been much better than Ward at outside right, and the latter would have proved superior to McKinley at centre.
This was admitted after it was too late to remedy the mistake.
Ankle deep in mud was our experience when taking a walk round the pitch beforce play started.
Johnstone do not lack support from their followers. No groans when their favourites miss an open goal.
Everything they did was cheered, while they resented anything good being done by the visitors.
It will take Brebner a month to recover at the very earliest.
We do not know how he managed to stick it out so long. Halket got badly pitched about too, but he is expected to be all right by Saturday.
O'Hagan also got a nasty bruise on the knee, and had to be attended to.
· Never have we seen such a disappointed team as Aberdeen were after the match. They were confidence personified before it.
Nothing would stir them up, not even the news of Mother¬well's defeat by Galston.
By the way, Galston are leaders in the Scottish Combination this season, with Johnstone second and a game in hand.
. It was a great day for the Combination leaders to have wins over their First League opponents.
On Saturday Aberdonians split their patronage, there being about as many at Central Park as there were at Pittodrie.
The final tie for the Lovie Challenge Shield between East End and Shamrock proved a most exciting tussle?neither side being able to score.
East End were without their popular captain?Macfarlane?and this seemed to upset them a bit.
Macfarlane was representing the North team in the Interna¬tional Trial against Dumbartonshire, but was on the losing side.
The University gave as nice an exhibition as we have seen at Pittodrie for some time. They were fast, and, had a perfect control of the ball, and kept Aberdeen A on the trot.
R. Simpson was in shooting form on Saturday, and sent along some express deliveries at Patterson.
McLeod also knew where the goal lay, and is a great acquisi¬tion to the University.
Since Sangster's days, we have not seen the 'Varsity so strongly represented as they were on Saturday.
Aberdeen could be doing with McLeod easily. He is a capital shot.
The centre-half is another useful player, and could be made a class man.
It is high time that some of our local juniors were getting a try at Pittodrie. They may be required for next year.

Source: Bon-Accord, 14th February 1907