Forfar Athletic 0 - 2 Aberdeen

Visions of the Northern League flag are beginning to appear on the horizon of the Aberdeen A. It was a wise step to do as they did last week, as with only a few Saturdays to go, it is almost impossible to get through with the fixtures. By a judicious mixture of the teams they do not allow it to be said that they are playing their first eleven against any particular club, while at the same time they are giving their younger mem¬bers a splendid opportunity of improving their play. On Saturday there was a strong or what was thought to be the strongest side at Forfar playing the Athletic at Station Park, and a fairly interesting game finished with Aberdeen leading by two goals to nothing. There was no mistake as to the better side. Indeed, the score might have been increased had the Aberdeen cared to. One tiling, however, the "Wasps" did, and that was that they never allowed their opponents to wax too strong. The narrow field also hampered the movements of the first eleven men, who thought they had hardly enough room to carry out their plans of campaign. Rodger seemed to get on much better at home than he did at Pittodrie, for he got in front of many hard shots which were worth goals. Herd did well, but was not so hard put to it, and all the other members of the "black and gold" brigade were in tip-top form.

Source: Bon-Accord, 5th April 1906

A team that travelled to Forfar was destined to meet with stronger opposition, and as it was known at a sprinkling of the Scottish League elements was to be introduced by the visitors, the athletic did their best to put a strong team on the field, while a large crowd lined the arena at Station Park in anticipation of a brisk game. The teams were:-
To four for: Rodger; Shand, Brown; Melvin, Taylor, Fairweather; Blyth, Langlands, Fairweather, Smith, Ritchie.
Aberdeen: Herd; Boyle, Brebner; Davidson, Strang, W. Low; Robertson, Mackie, H. Low, Henderson, Edgar.

From the very start it was evident that the Forfar men intended to make a good bid for the points, but Aberdeen soon worked their way down, and within a few minutes Mackie had opened the scoring. So far, so good; but the home lot were not downhearted, and the retaliation of the front rank kept Boyle and Brebner hard at work, although they did full justice to the efforts of the attacking party. Fine runs were being constantly organized by the Wasps, but the local halves tackled cleverly, and their feeding of the forwards occasionally turned the tables on the strangers. Robertson, on the right, had a try at Rodger, but the custodian blocked neatly, one and sent well afield. The Athletic right wing were frequently dangerous, and Herd one at intervals was the means of averting the equaliser. At the other end of the field a different state of matters prevailed, for the Aberdeen forerunners were constantly turned by the backs, and their most resource will tactics failed to bring them into direct communication with Rodger. Shand was the specially conspicuous for clever defensive work, and Strang, by way of overcoming this obstacle, tried a number of long-range shots, which, although almost bringing out points, never met with the success they deserved. A spell up for work in front of Herd raised the hopes of the local enthusiasts, but Ritchie relieved by driving behind, while a little later Herd accounted for a hard punt from Melvin. A complete reverse was in store for Forfar, however, and from the raising of the siege at Herd one's goal Henry Low carried the sphere directly into home territory, where he worked round the backs and drove home with a shot that was altogether beyond the custodians power to save. The game went on strongly till the interval, and, while events were plentiful there was no further result.

After a short period of aggressive work by Aberdeen, the opposition shown a tendency to assume the upper hand, and it was as much as the defence could do to keep the lines clear. This in turn was followed by an attack on Rodger, and it was very apparent that Aberdeen felt none too confident even with a couple of goals to the good. Shots were sent in from every direction, but further points were denied. Towards the close Forfar made a determined effort to get at close range to Herd, but the halves and backs were equal to the occasion, and nothing resulted.

Source: Aberdeen Daily Journal, 2nd April 1906