Aberdeen 3 - 0 Montrose

Inclement weather prevailed at Pittodrie on Saturday, where Aberdeen A and Montrose contested for Northern League honours. The pitch was rather soft, and the attendance of spectators was under the average, even for a secondary attraction. Mr. Nisbet, Edinburgh whistled the teams out as follows:-Aberdeen A: Barrett; Boyle, Craig; Davidson, Thompson, Robertson; Harvey, Hilton, Hall, Cruikshank, Smith. Montrose: Paterson; Gair, Rattray; Gowans, Campbell, Robertson; McHardy, Graham, Duncan, Matthew, Smith.

The game opened with a thrice-repeated incursion by Montrose into local territory, but at no stage was the attack at all dangerous. The home lot retaliated in a most business-like fashion, and a shot from Harvey on the right called upon Paterson to exercise his saving power. The effort resulted in a fruitless corner, followed by bad play in midfield, with each quintette getting off at times, but neither penetrated beyond the back division. Aberdeen swept the field in a bunch, and the subsequent scrimmage in front of the Montrose citadel yielded the first point in Aberdeen's favour, Smith (a Ladybank player) having the honour with a shot in a very difficult position. The local front line were playing the game that seldom fails where the wind counts for nothing, the moderately high passing game, and this carried them frequently to Paterson's quarters. Montrose were not far behind in the matter of combination, and it should have brought the equaliser, but for a clearing bungle by Smith on the extreme left wing. Barrett misjudged a cross, and the Montrose winger had the ball a yard from the net, when he pulled it round the post with his toe, and sent behind. A peculiar coincidence was that his namesake in the same position for Aberdeen made a similar error at the opposite end, although in the latter instance the blunder was not quite so flagrant. Paterson was certainly having plenty to do, but he distinguished himself in creditable fashion, averting almost certain disaster at times. For a second time Montrose missed the equaliser when it was within their grasp, a very convenient cross being sent wildly behind. Again the visitors rushed the home defence, and Barrett had a warm time of it, with a couple of forwards accelerating his movements, but the lines were cleared, thanks to luck more than good guidance. After a long spell of mediocre play, chiefly consisting of diddling displays on the mid-line, Aberdeen broke away, and overwhelming the keeper on the goal line by sheer weight of numbers, bundled the ball into the net. This triumph was almost followed by another. It was just a question of touch and go either way, and the goalkeeper getting his fist on the sphere first, the ball was sent into less dangerous proximity. The siege, however, still remain to be raised, and the half time whistle came as a welcome relief to the strangers.

With the resumption in the latter period, Montrose took up the attack, and after a few preliminaries got away. When close in Graham had a good try for goal, sending in a low grounder, which almost penetrated. Barrett, however, got the leather away with a struggle, and Aberdeen transferred the venue to the other end of the field, where some exciting play was witnessed, Paterson literally sweeping the ball from the feet of two opponents on the line. Interest palled again for a time, and a sharp run down the margin by Harvey, who finished with a well-directed punt, raised little more than a murmur among the crowd. The spectators were by no means limited in their appreciation however, when Smith burst through the Montrose defence with the ball and just missed the corner of the net with a very pretty cross shot. Harvey on the right emulated this performance a minute later, and Paterson had once more to display his dodging ability before he cleared his charge from danger. Further sensation was yet in store, however, Hall getting past the backs, and making straight for the Montrose citadel. The race was an exciting one, but the centre in parting with the ball sent it just outside the post. The game was now almost wholly in favour of the locals. An unfortunate accident occurred in the closing stages of the game, Hilton sustaining a severe injury to his leg from a fall, which necessitated his removal from the field. Notwithstanding the absence of the inside right, Aberdeen still held the upper hand and a well-organised excursion enabled Harvey to drive the ball into the net. The game finished with Aberdeen still pressing, but no further scoring resulted.

Source: Aberdeen Journal, 16th October 1905