Aberdeen 1 - 2 Dundee A

The A teams of Aberdeen and Dundee met at Pittodrie Park on Saturday afternoon in the first round of the Scottish 2nd XI cup competition. There were about 4000 spectators present, and the sun had just commenced to shine, following upon a forenoon of rain, when the following teams lined up:-

Aberdeen A: King; Hannah, Harper; Davidson, Macfarlane, Robertson; C. V. A. McEchern, Towns, McKenzie, Henderson, Jaffrey.
Dundee: Philip; Dorward, McEwan; Hampton, Comrie, Gowans; Ritchie, Steven, Hall, Dinnie, McGregor.
Referee - Mr. D. Riddell, Edinburgh.

In the first. Dundee played towards the sea, had had sun and breeze at their backs. Aberdeen were first prominent, good play by Robertson letting Jaffrey away, but he overran the ball. Mackenzie had a promising run from near midfield, and Philip had to run out to kick clear. Towns's was almost through on another occasion, but McEwan punted away. Aberdeen were back on the attack, however, and a long shot forward by Macfarlane ended in Mackenzie and Philip having a race for the ball, the keeper kicking clear in the nick of time. Try as they might, Dundee could not shake off the local attack, although Dorward and McEwan kept them out of shooting range. After Macgregor had raised the siege by a futile run from a corner clearance, McKenzie again made west, and once again it was only Phillips daring rush out and saved his side. At the other end Hannah missed his kick, but King, falling upon the ball, saved grandly from Dinnie at point blank range. McEchern sailed off on the right, and twice in succession he missed scoring by inches. As the game progressed Dundee got more into the game, which was very fast. Good dribbling by Stephen was capped by a shot from Ritchie which sailed over the bar. McEchern again bore down, and Philip rushed out and brushed away a corner flag cross in grand style. Aberdeen's goal next had a narrow escape. King, when out of his charge, missed the ball, but Robertson punted clear ere Hall got in his kick. Fouls became very numerous, I and, with the referee none too observant, the wonder was at times that the players were not seriously injured. Dinnie had a long shot which King saved well at the cost of a corner, which was cleared. Jaffrey had a run on the left, and Dorward recklessly conceded a corner, from the clearance of which Hall got away, but Harper, who had been playing a strong defensive game, brought him up neatly. Some exciting passages took place between Macfarlane and Hall. Near half-time they fell together, and Macfarlane got hot, and had to leave the field.

Macfarlane reappeared at the opening of the second half. Dundee got a free kick close in, which Dorward sent high. Mackenzie looked like scoring for Aberdeen when he was fouled, and then the home right had a spell of pressure, and the centre was nigh to scoring from McEchern's centre. Play for a time became uninteresting, with Dundee confined to their own half of the field. Twice Ritchie got away, and twice Hannah brought him up cleverly. Good dribbling by Henderson made pace for Aberdeen, but a foul against McKenzie transferred play. Disallowed fouls were extremely numerous. A stoppage had to be called till Robertson recovered from a fouled fall. For a time neither side looked like scoring, but a sudden breakaway by Dundee so Hall beat Harper and score with an unsavable shot. Aberdeen, spurred up by this reverse, attacked vigorously, and Philip, running out once too often, all and McKenzie to get the equaliser. Each side now strove hard for the lead, and the Dundonians, who were the heavier set, were not slow to use their weight. To Henderson, who had changed places with Robertson, skimmed the bar with the ball from long range. On another occasion McKenzie was almost through when the whistle went for offside. The pivot next forced a corner, but Dundee packed their goal and cleared. Subsequently Ritchie broke away, and Hall, taking advantage of the cross, with Hannah hesitating, scored a soft goal. Aberdeen strove hard, but unsuccessfully, to equalise.

Estimated drawings £70.

Source: Aberdeen Daily Journal, 6th September 1909

A TOUSY GAME AT PITTODRIE.

With an official capable of keeping the game in hand and able to control the players, who were bent on [laying the man instead of the ball, we would have seeen much better football at Pittodrie on Saturday. A certain amount had to be allowed for the keen rivalry that exists between Dundee and Aberdeen, but the licence allowed to the players was far in excess of the rules, and certainly not good for the welfare of the game. From first, to last there was too much feeling allowed to go on, the players taking as much freedom as they could get when not detected, and that was all too seldom. The knocking about business told heavily on the home side, whose players were in need of "first aid" frequently throughout the ninety minutes.
Playing against wind and sun, Aberdeen A. had by far the best of matters, the clever goalkeeping of Philip, the ex-Hearts custodian, being the only barrier to a crop of goals. A lucky breakaway by Hall well on in the second period, after he had crippled Macfarlane, let the old St Bernards' bustler score. This success was short-lived, for Mackenzie equalised within a few minutes. Hall again did the trick five minutes front the end, and though the locals strove hard to equalise, they had to retire defeated by 2-1. It was hard luck on the home team, who had the better of the argument as far as play was concerned but could not get the goals.
The most outstanding player in the field was MacEchern, whose dribbling and crossing left nothing to be desired, and had the left wing picked up some of his crosses as they were intended for, goals were bound to have accrued. Dundee's play was poor in the open, and only their weight carried them through at close quarters. The halves were unscrupulous, and the backs unsteady. Philip, in goal, gave a great display, and saved his side from a sound thrashing.
Aberdeen were good in defence - King, Han-ah, and Harper doing well, and we fancy, had Macfarlane not been injured, he would have kept Hall outside the reach of scoring. Robertson and Davidson were also in good trim, the weakness lay on the left wing, where Henderson made a very weak effort at forward play, and must be played in the middle line after this. The right wing and centre left nothing to he desired, and were value for more goals than they got.

Source: Bon-Accord, 9th September 1909