Aberdeen 2 - 0 Morton

The Aberdeen team were again at home on Saturday, the visitors being Greenock Morton. Up till the time of starting the match there was a heavy rainfall, which had its effect on the attendance, the crowd numbering about 7000. The rain softened the surface of the pitch, and made the ball very slippery. Before the game started the weather improved, the rain being succeeded by bright sunshine. The Aberdeen team was under strength, Hume, left back, and McNair, centre forward, being off injured, their places being taken by Wilson and Dalgarno, of the A team. McIntosh was shifted from the centre half position to do GT for Hume, letting in Wilson in the middle line. Teams:-

Aberdeen: much; Colman, McIntosh; Halkett, Wilson, Wilfred Low; black barn, Muir, Dalgarno, O'Hagan, Lennie.
Greenock Morton:Robertson; Stewart, Thomson; Hendry, McIntosh, Nugent; Watson, Dart, Spiers, Clark, Fleming.

With his usual luck, Halkett, the Aberdeen captain, won the toss, his uninterrupted success in naming the right side of the spinning coin appearing to have in it something of the uncanny. He placed his men with their backs to the sea, thus securing the advantage of a slight breeze. The game started with an attack by Greenock, which was repelled by McIntosh, and Aberdeen repaid the onslaught with interest, Muir sending in a fine centre which troubled Robertson, who hit the ball out a few yards only. O'Hagan back-heeled, and Lennie was romping into score and a blow of the whistle for offside call away the attackers, and saved the Greenock goal. The game preceded on lines all in favour of Aberdeen, the only variation being on a long pass out to right or left allowed the smart Greenock wingers to break away, at which times the Aberdeen defence was, with the exception of Colman, rather shaky. O'Hagan and Lennie, and getting into their stride, could not be stopped by the Greenock backs and half-backs, and from the Aberdeen left wing danger constantly threatened Robertson's goal. Lennie, sprinting past all opposition, finished with a hard drive, Robertson saving in fine style. Blackburn next got a chance from a cross from the left, but, instead of lifting the ball, he banged it against Thompson's legs. A clever run down by the Greenock right wing, in which Lowe and McIntosh were outmanoeuvred and left behind, made Mutch anxious, but when the pass went to Fleming, Colman, whose coolness, judgement, and resource were remarkable, got the ball away. After end-to-end exchanges, Greenock made a strong attack at the east goal, forcing two corners. From one of the kicks a fast low shot was going straight for goal, when Wilson, the robust rover, stepped in and banged the ball up the field. The Aberdeen forwards raced off, and a long shot was held by Robertson, who was doing a little tricky hope when Dalgarno, dashing in, cleverly kicked the ball from the custodians hand, and, in an awkward position, said passed the upright an inch on the wrong side with an overhead hook. When Robertson was robbed of the ball his face was a study, the laughter of the spectators adding to his discomfiture. Aberdeen worried the Greenock defence, Lennie getting through time after time. Little internationalist, with are wreaking shot, nearly burst the net from the outside, and a minute later he placed the ball well into goal. O'Hagan headed in, and Robertson, in clearing, dropped the ball and scraped it the way out to the touch line in a haphazard manner. At the other end, in a turn of Greenock pressure, dart and Spiers proved too much for Low and McIntosh, but the attack finished weekly, a shot going over. A fine combined run by the Aberdeen forwards, with swinging, wing-to-wing passing, upset Morton's defence, and with the finishing shot the ball struck the crossbar and rolled over, O'Hagan, who was on the spot, landing headfirst in the net in his eagerness to score. Aberdeen did everything but score, the Greenock men having all the luck. The goal merely came when O'Hagan sent in a low drive, Robertson luckily being on the spot and saving. Shortly after the Greenock goal had another narrow escape, Robertson falling on the ball from a terrific shot by Lennie, and pushing it round the post. An exciting scrimmage followed the corner kick, and Robertson happened to be on the ground a place where the ball came in, and so diverted its course. Aberdeen's long delayed goal came after 35 minutes' play, Lennie beating Robertson within unsaveable shot. Greenock were reanimated by the reverse, and the pressure which they applied for the next 5 minutes was their best effort of the whole match. Three times in quick succession Mutch saved with difficulty, once, at least, very luckily. Weakness in front of goal was the cause of Greenock's failure after good outfield play and much clever individual manipulation of the ball. Aberdeen were closely pressing at the Morton end when the whistle sounded.

At the start of the second half Dart and Spiers on the Greenock right, carried play well into the Aberdeen half of the field. Spiers, however, finished badly with a wide shot. Then the Aberdeen right forced matters, Blackburn getting the better of Thomson, who tried to shoulder him off, and centring to Dalgarno, who, well placed, headed over. Greenock now had quite as much of the game as Aberdeen, end-to-end play resulting in the triumph of the defence on both sides. Once assure goal was averted by Wilson, who banged the ball out of the danger zone. There was no outstanding incident in the play until Muir was fouled at the Greenock end. A corner followed the free kick, and in the goalmouth melee Henry handled, and the referee gave a penalty. Wilfred Low was entrusted with the kick, and he did the thing most to be avoided - drove the ball straight into the outstretched hands of Robertson, who saved with ease. As if to make up for the lost opportunity, Aberdeen returned to the attack, and Muir, with a low shot, made Robertson measure his length on the ground, the Greenock goalkeeper fixing the ball on the line, and making a very shaky save. Morton did their utmost to equalise. They were all right in the open, but that close quarters failed. Once Morton had a glorious chance, Watson getting through with nobody to beat but Mutch, only Wilson was coming galloping across the field. Before the Greenock centre could shoot, Wilson "crossed his bows," and kicked the ball away. Dart intercepted the ball, and shot over, and the Aberdeen players breathe freely again. The issue was put out of doubt when Wilson, with a low drive through a crowd of players, the O'Hagan and a chance, which the Irishman was not slow to accept. O'Hagan dashed in, I and, getting Wilson's low pass, deftly changed its course passed Robertson into the net. Such was the impetuosity of O'Hagan's rush that he toppled over and almost turned a somersault after getting in his kick. Much of the credit of this goal belongs to Wilson, but it would not have materialised without O'Hagan's smart effort. Morton did not lie down, and tried hard to get a goal. Mutch, however, kept his charge intact, adding greatly to his reputation by two great saves from Henry and Watson.

The amount drawn at the gates was £111 5s 9d, and at the stands £16 13s 9d - a total of £127 19s 6d.

Source: Aberdeen Daily Journal, 24th August 1908