Heart of Midlothian 1 - 1 Aberdeen

Fully 8000 spectators patronised this game at Tynecastle, Edinburgh. Play opened quietly, but eventually Aberdeen attacked and Muir saved thrice in rapid succession. The Hearts coming into the game, Sinclair and Cole put in good work, but found the visiting defence too strong. Sinclair did head in from a cross by Cole, but was adjudged offside. Afterwards the game proceeded on interesting lines till the interval, when neither side had scored. Soon after resuming, Aberdeen got a goal through O'Hagan after Simpson had struck the crossbar. The Hearts played strongly after this, Sinclair hitting the bar with a great shot, and soon after Hynds, following on a corner, headed through. This was all the scoring in the game. Result :-One each.

Source: The Scotsman, 2nd November 1908

Aberdeen travelled to Tynecastle on Saturday to meet the Hearts in a Scottish League match, and more than ordinary interest was evinced in view of Aberdeen being the league leaders. Fortunately for the northern club, Halkett and Blackburn were fit for their places, so that Muir's absence was not so much felt as would otherwise have been the case. The teams were:-

Hearts: Muir; Collins, Roderick Walker; McLaren, Hynds, Nellis; Sinclair, Walker, Courts, Scott, Cole.
Aberdeen: Mutch; Colman, Hume; Halkett, McIntosh, Low; Blackburn, Simpson, Wilson, O'Hagan, Lennie.
Referee - Mr. D. J. Liddell, Glasgow.

Aberdeen lost the toss and kicked off against a bright sun before about 5000 spectators. Wilson made a good effort to break through in the first minute, but Collins stuck to him, and the movement came to nothing. The home right wing then got down, and Walker was blocked in the act of shooting, while a cross by Sinclair was missed by Cole on the other side. Aberdeen returned to the attack, and some risky tactics by the Tynecastle defenders prolong their stay in front of Muir, but Cole brought relief by dashing away on the left, his parting effort being effectively spoiled by Colman. The "Wasps" again changed the venue, and after Lennie had driven the ball against Collins, Wilson got the leather from the throw and drove into goal, but the ball sprang a wide of the mark. After Mcintosh had kicked over, Sinclair broke ground on the home right, and, rounding low, sent in strongly, but the ball in its flight struck the hand of one of the defenders. Grand play by Hynds kept the hearts on the aggressive, and Courts was almost through, the ball being nipped away from the goalmouth in the nick of time. After some studied passing, Walker got possession and shot, but he was badly off the line. From a grand cross by Cole, Sinclair headed the ball past Mutch, but offside nullified the point. Then Lennie and dashed off, and, after beating McLaren, shot straight and true. Muir threw himself at the ball, and managed to pilot it over the goalmouth, Blackburn being a shade late in getting up. From the resulting corner Lennie shot straight into Muir's hands. Offside again frustrated a promising manoeuvre by the home forwards, and the referee's decision did not please the crowd. The game was fought out after this on fast lines, and each goal was visited in turn. A grand shot by Cole went over. When the Hearts looked like settling down the visitors broke away, but were pulled up for offside. Roderick Walker's punt down the field was missed by several players, and Scott got possession. The back was beaten, but got into his place in time to cover the open goal and get in the way of a hot shot and be congratulated by some of his fellows for coming to the rescue so timeously. The Hearts continued to have the pull, but Lennie gained ground for his side, and wasted no time in shooting, but was not always on the mark. Following up some good work by the outside left, in which he got the better of Collins and crossed over, Blackburn netted the ball from an offside position. At the other end Cole put over a fine ball, which Sinclair, in gathering up, Grover against Hume, the ball going over. Nothing came of the kick, and whistle then sounded.

The opening incident of the second half was a softish shot by Walker, who was neatly put in possession by Hynds, Mutch clearing with Courts in close attendance. With Lennie on the run down the wing, Collins put the ball out of play, and from the throw-in Simpson shot over the bar. Halkett stepped in and stopped and Walker smartly when the internationalist was settling for goal, and at the other end Blackburn drove into Muir's hands. The home left to play to the other end, and Cole crossed to Sinclair, but, when the whistle sounding for offside, the outside right shot to the side of the net. A movement begun by Lennie lead to the opening score. The outside left could the ball nicely over to Blackburn, who failed to get through. The leather then came to Simpson, who drove in, striking the crossbar, and from the rebound O'Hagan scored with a shot which gave Muir no chance. Hobbs retaliated, and sim cleared dropped the ball onto the crossbar. Further pressure by the homesters resulted in the equaliser being secured.

Source: Aberdeen Daily Journal

Leaving the Top.

There was much misgiving amongst Aberdeen's supporters last week-end over the selection of the team to meet Hearts. Everyone admits that George Wilson has found his place as a half, but his ability to fill the centre position was the cause of much head-shaking after what had been seen in that direction before. Further, there was a feeling that Lennie ought to have been rested after his injury while playing against Dundee. This latter course was one of the principal reasons of dropping a point at Tynecastle, the other being a very bad decision of the referee, who docked a perfectly legitimate goal scored by Blackburn.

Play was fast at the start, the spectators being treated to some fine dribbling by the forwards. The defence was sure, Muir especially so in the first half, when he saved both from O'Hagan and Lennie with nothing to spare. Sinclair was first to get the ball in the net, but the player was so palpably offside in his action that there was no dubiety about it being wrong. There was much jeering at the decision which gave Blackburn offside when he scored from a pass by Lennie. These were the most exciting episodes in the first half, which ended pointless so far as the scoring was concerned. The second period saw a falling off somewhat in the forward play, for Lennie went dead lame for a time, and was left severely alone. Blackburn had a good run and sent over to Simpson, who hit the crossbar, and O'Hagan chipping in, scored a good goal. Another one was sent in, but offside spoiled the chance, and getting Aberdeen's defence on the hop, Hynds equalised with a header when the Hearts' people thought it was all up. All things considered Aberdeen did wonderfully well to draw with one goal each.

The Play and Players.

While Aberdeen had the Hearts' defence in a tangle, Muir proved the stumbling-block to many well-meant shots sent in. He undoubtedly saved his side. Collins was the better of the two backs, Rod. Walker being too rash to be a success. Hynds was the best of the middle line, and Sinclair the most effective forward. Walker was too well watched by Low to get in his usual effective play, and Cole suffered through Macintosh and loss of temper besides. On the home side, the most prominent players were Mutch, Colman, and Hume, with O'Hagan and Halkett shining in the middle and forward line. Lennie was not fit to play, although he gave a touch of what he can do. Wilson was not, a success, though he worked hard all the time. Simpson proved too light against such a heavy brigade, and Blackburn Played good and bad by turns.

Chatty Bits.

Third Lanark have established a claim to recognition by winning the cup from the Celtic by such a large score as 4-0.
Aberdeen had their usual slice of bad luck at Tynecastle on Saturday. ln the opinion of many, a good goal was chopped off.
It is quite evident that Lennie will require a rest to get over his Dundee injury, and the pity is that he did not get it last week.
O'Hagan was not so sprightly as usual, on account of an injured foot, and did not keep up his form against Dundee.
It will be gratifying to know that Muir is as well as could be expected under the circumstances.
He is quite cheery, and has received every attention from all concerned, while he is never left alone on visiting days.
There was quite a breeziness imparted into the play of the "A" Team On Saturday against Arbroath.
Scott, who made his debut, for Aberdeen, has a fine conception of forward play, and knows where the goal is situated.
If the inside left could be got to study the same movements, he would get a lot of goals.
Both the wing men were good, and, in our opinion, McEachran cannot be long loft out of the League team.
His slipping and crossing of the ball was better than anything we have seen at Pittodrie this season.
Early starts will now be the order of the day during the month of November.
Aberdeen will be back in Edinburgh next week, when they play the Hibs at Easter Road.

Source: Bon-Accord, 5th November 1908