Played at Pittodrie. In the first round Banff defeated Huntly by two to one, after and run game of two goals each. The ground was in good condition. Teams:- Aberdeen A: Barrett; Mackie, Brebner; Low, Thompson, Robertson; R. Ritchie, Cruikshank, Knowles, Jaffray, Shiach. Banff: P. Crawford; Robertson, Angus; Wood, Reid, Shearer, Hannah, Cormack, Bruce, J. Crawford, Hutchison. Referee - Mr. Smith, 'Varsity.
Aberdeen had most of the play at the start, and Robertson and Cruikshank had tries that goal, but on each occasion the ball went past. Aberdeen continued to have the best of the game, and kept up a fierce attack in front of Banff's goal a hot shot from a few yards' distance was splendidly saved by the Banff goalkeeper, which resulted in a corner for Aberdeen, but nothing came of it. Aberdeen was crafted a free kick close in and Mackie made a rather wild attempt to score, sending the ball high over the bar. The A's kept up the pressure, and a swift, high shot from Robertson, who kicked from near the penalty line, sent the ball in, the goalkeeper having no chance to save. After about fifteen minutes play Barrett was called upon to save a long shot but he easily cleared. The Banff goalkeeper had plenty of work, but he was equal to the demands made upon him. For the most part the game developed into a series of high kicks, little or no combination being shown by either side. The Banff players made repeated attempts to break away, but when they had an opportunity they failed to follow up the advantage. A capital shot from Shiach was saved by the goalkeeper, but a few minutes afterwards one of the band's men sent the ball through his own goal in a tussle with Cruikshank. Shiach, was playing a fine game, dribbled through 1/2 dozen players and sent the ball towards the goal. The goalkeeper, however, was ready for it, fisting the ball out in fine style - a feat which he repeated a few minutes afterwards as the result of a hard drive from Thompson. A hard shot by Knowles run the ball up the field, and when within a few yards from goal tried to score, but the ball struck the cross-bar and rebounded into play. Aberdeen practically monopolised the play, and the Banff goalkeeper and backs were kept within a few yards of their own goal in warding off the repeated attacks of the Aberdeen forwards and half-backs. Shiach added a third goal to Aberdeen, but the Banff players made an appeal for offside. After a magnificent run of fully three-parts of the field by Knowles, Aberdeen secured 1/4 gold, Shiach again giving the ball the finishing touch. Shortly afterwards the Banff goalkeeper saved three times in succession in a most marvellous fashion with practically the whole of the Aberdeen forwards in front of him.
In the second. Aberdeen immediately took up the attack. Although the football shown during the first half was not of a very high order, the game was even or more uninteresting nature during the second period, the Banff players rarely getting past the backs. A long drive from Thompson was badly missed by the goalkeeper, and Knowles and Cruikshank rushed up and landed the ball in the net. A fine pass by Knowles allowed Shiach to get the ball, who let fly for goal. The ball struck the goal-post, but it was immediately sent in again, but the goalkeeper cleared in the midst of a crowd of players. Mackie next took a free kick and added a sixth goal. Jaffrey with a splendid shots added a seventh goal to Aberdeen's untarnished record. The Banff forwards then rushed down the field, overpowering the backs. Cormack seized the ball and drove it home, thus securing their first goal.
The gate amounted to about £12.
Source: Aberdeen Daily Journal, 19th December 1904