Aberdeen 3 - 2 Dundee

The belief, which is, in fact, becoming a conviction, that the Pittodrie second string is about the strongest combination that has ever worn the black and gold colours, was further strengthened on Saturday when they disposed of the strong-going Dundee reserve eleven in the first round replay of the Scottish 2nd XI. Cup competition. True, the home team only got through by the odd goal in five, but they thoroughly deserved their win by reason of their superior tactics in pushing home an attack. Where the Dundee forwards were inclined at times to hesitate and tap the ball from one to the other, the Aberdeen men, after an initial tendency to close play, went out for the goal, and found it a paying policy in the end.
Dundee's swinging game in the first half looked like sweeping Aberdeen off their feet. The Dons persisted in playing "parlour" football, which was not the sort of game for a snow-covered and frost-bound surface. The deadliness of their forwards, however, compensated for their error in tactics, with the result that they twice held the lead, through headers by Carroll and Love, only to see the visitors level, through Shandley and Hunter although the former's goal was scored from a suspiciously offside position. Indeed. Shandley got far too much scope from referee. Mr S. Johnston, Dundee, many of whose decisions did not please the homesters. Almost invariably the winger lay offside, but the appeals of the Aberdeen players and the shouts of the crowd went unheeded by the man with the whistle.
In the second half the Dons altered their tactics, and started to open out the play. They speedily benefited from the move, as Love headed home another goal, following smart work by Carroll and Doolan. For some unaccountable reason, however, they did not continue their aggressive work, but were content to draw back the inside men and hang on to a lead which, in the circumstances, was by no means a decisive one. They managed to pull through, but had the Dundee marksmen been anything to boast of, or had the Aberdeen defence faltered, a different tale might have had to be told.
It was a game where the most of the honours went to the respective defences. McHale policed Ross to such an extent that the Dundee centre hardly ever got a chance, while Cameron did the same to Doolan, although the Aberdeen man seemed to have great difficulty in keeping his footing. Hunter was the star man in the Dundee attack, while Carroll and Love were the best home forwards. Muir made a good reappearance at back, he and Ritchie playing crafty and brainy game, while McSevich had some very smart saves. About 10,000 spectators saw the match.

Source: Press & Journal, 15th February 1926