Aberdeen 2 - 0 St. Mirren

At Aberdeen, in presence of 9000 spectators. The opening exchanges favoured the home team, who outplayed their opponents at every point. Lennie and H. Murray put in some telling work, and several capital shots from the first-named were saved by Grant. The goalkeeper, indeed, was severely tested, and close to the interval Lennie scored after Murray had struck the crossbar. Iin the second half, the play was featureless. Fifteen minutes from time Soye scored a second goal for Aberdeen. Result :- Aberdeen, two goals; St Mirren, nothing.

Source: The Scotsman, 2nd October 1909

The third home League match in succession was played at Pittodrie Park, Aberdeen, on Saturday, the visitors being the Saint Mirren, from Paisley. The spectators numbered about 9000. Teams:-

Aberdeen: Mutch; Colman, Hume; Wilson, Moffat, Miller; H. Murray, Simpson, Soye, O'Hagan, Lennie.
Saint Mirren: Grant; Reid, Featherstone; Key, Robertson, Weir; Clements, Paton, Buchanan, Millar, Husband.
Referee - Mr. R. H. Kelso, Hamilton.

Aberdeen having got choice of ends, but elected to defend the east goal, with the advantage of a crosswind slightly in their favour. The skill and activity of the Aberdeen forwards was in early apparent, and within a few minutes O'Hagan gave Lennie a pass, from which the outside left, with a fast low shot, took Grant to the ground in clearing. Saint Mirren and then had a look in, I and, although the rush of their forwards looked dangerous, Colman and Hume were not to be beaten. Paton, for Saint Mirren and, said passed grant, the Paisley goalkeeper made his second save of a remarkable series. Lennie was again the marksman, the ball travelling to him via Murray and Soye. It was a high drive, which the goalkeeper, with a huge spring, diverted over the bar with his right fist. The Aberdeen team were now fairly in their stride, the forwards having the solid support of a steady half-back line. For a time the ball travelled from side to side, and in and out close to the Paisley goal, until, at close range from a difficult to angle, Lennie shot with great force, Grant smartly holding the ball. Saint Mirren and went to the other end, and got a corner, through Wilson missing his kick. The ball was returned and Grant cleared from O'Hagan and Soye, conceding a corner from the centre's shot. Then Aberdeen's goal had a narrow escape, Mutch running out and blocking Miller's shot, after Hume had missed a rolling ball. A great effort by Murray had poor support. All the forwards were up when Murray crossed a yard-high ball. Soye missed, then O'Hagan, but to cap all, Lennie drove the ball hard against the outside of the net. Saint Mirren and then livened up, and were the attacking side for a time, a free kick against Featherstone again letting in the eager Aberdonians. Flustered by the left wing, Reid fisted down a cross from Lennie well inside the penalty area, the referee a rousing the anger of the crowd by giving a free kick against Aberdeen. Aberdeen kept the ball constantly in the Paisley end of the field, and Grant saved from O'Hagan, who was offside, and then by a great effort at full stretch held an express delivery from Murray, getting the ball turned round the post. After Simpson had missed by inches with a well-directed shot, the Saint Mirren and forwards got on the run, and husband was about to shoot when shouldered off by Colman. Miller, the Paisley inside left, was injured, and had to be carried off, returning after 15 minutes absence. Aberdeen, irresistible in the outfield, could not finish in the same way, there being a slackness in goalmouth. Lennie lifted over a nice ball to O'Hagan, who headed into Grant's hands. Soye then tried to go in alone, and was blocked on the way. It looked as if Aberdeen, after pressing continuously, were to cross over without a goal, when 2 minutes from the interval, Grant was beaten. The goalkeeper was not to blame, however, Murray struck the cross-bar with a shot, and the ball rebounding, was kicked by Simpson over the heads of several players to Lennie. The left winger swung the ball across, and into the goal, where Reid, lounging, touched it with his toe and helped it into the net. It was a well-deserved goal, the run of the play being indicated by Aberdeen having had seven corners to Saint Mirren's one.

Not nearly so fast as the first half, and less characterised by outstanding incidents, the second period of the game had more of the run and counter run in it, the feature being the tackling and kicking of the Aberdeen backs, particularly Colman. Grant was the first goalkeeper to be tried, Murray, running past Featherstone, and bringing the custodian into a swimming position to stop a hot shot along the ground. Mutch, some time after, got a warm handful from Paton, and on a visit to the other end Lennie caused Grant to hop over the line with the ball in his arms, nothing coming from the corner kick. Aberdeen were none too safe with their goal lead, having in view Saint Mirren's frequent proximity to Mutch, and when Miller on one occasion turned up at an opportune moment to kick out - there being Mutch still to beat, of course - the crowd began to call on the Aberdeen team to "play up." As if in response to this demand, the Aberdeen forwards went to the other end in a combined run. Simpson tricked an opponent, and made the ball whistle as it cut the ere a foot from the ground. Grant threw himself in the line of the ball's flight, and fell on it, apparently squeezing the wind out to his body, for he was unable to turn round to scrape the ball aside, before Soye was opponent, and placed it in the net. Both goals were visited in turn, but neither goalkeeper was seriously tried, and Aberdeen emerged easy winners.

The gate was estimated at £200.

Source: Aberdeen Daily Journal, 4th October 1909

STILL ADVANCING

There were many head-shakings prior to the commencement of the game as to how Aberdeen would get out of their meeting with St Mirren on Saturday.Those who were pesimistic as to the result had not long to wait to take quite another view of the situation when Lennie all but scored with a run from the kick-off. The Saints came north flushed with their previous week's success, determined to take awaay one point at least with them, and their team was moddelled to suit the grounds on which they were to play, being speedy in the front line and solid in defence. Of the latter, wa can say we saw plenty, but of the latter very little.
Aberdeen had out the self same team that has won them the last two games, though ther were rumours current that O'Hagan had been ill and would be unable to turn out. Charlie certainly played as if there had been very little the matter with him. The weighing up of the teams as to which were the smarter side was only a matter of minutes, and with a few exceptions the play resolved itself into a duel beweeen St Mirren's defence and the home attack.
Aberdeen pressed for a long period at the start, the visitors seldom getting away to show what they could do. The spectators were kept in continual excitement, as probable openings for the home forwards appeared only to be blocked by a back or Grant at full stretch pushing the ball round the uprights. For once that Mutch had to handle the ball, Grant was ten times oalled on to do something with it, or else the backs came in and kicked out. Fully forty minutes had gone when Murray finished with a fine effort, which Grant just pushed down in front of Simpson, who was marked. Bobby, with an overhead kick, crossed the ball over, where Lennie snapped up, and the goalkeeper was beaten to the world. How many difficult shots Grant otherwise saved would take up more space to describe than we can spare, but we will give him credit that he saved his side from a big beating.
The Saints' forwards improved a bit in the second period, but they never got so far as to give Mutch a real test of what they could do. Several stray shots went wide or high over the bar, but none looked like beating the home goalkeeper at any time. On the other hand, Simpson, by a clever ruse, brought Grant to his knees, and O'Hagan and Soye repeated this dodge later, but all to no purpose till the period was half gone, when Murray had a nice run in which he eluded all opposition, and then passed to Simpson, who shot hard into goal. Soye picked up the rebound from the goalkeeper, and walked the ball into the net. There, was no further scoring, though Aberdeen tried hard on several occasions to increase their lead, and they ran out good winners by 2-0.

THE PLAYERS AND REFEREE.

As the foregoing report shows, Grant was the outstanding man on the Saints' side, while their intermediate line put in some good work, and saved the backs a lot of work, but their forwards never got going at any time - a tribute to the home halves. The home defence was again splendid, and there was very little between either of the halves to give one more praise than another. Mutch had a picnic between the posts.
In the middle line we should sat that Moffat played the best game he has done at Pittodrie, while Wilson and Millar gave him every support.
The left wing filled the eye most in the first half, and were worthy of more goals than wee actually counted, while the right wing pair shone best in the closing stage, and Soye, in centre was all that could be wished for the position, feeding both wings impartially. We do not often fine fault with the referee, who, we admit, has a difficult role to fill, but several decisions on Saturday puzzled not a few. How he managed to ignore a most deliberate penalty in the first half - even after his attention had been drawn to it - savoured of the biased more than the fair-minded man. There were one or two other points which we did not agree with, and, as one froend remarked - "Aberdeen were playing against twelve men." They got away with nothing, which was more than could be said he allowed for the other side.

CHATTY BITS

Aberdeen are forscing their way up the table, and the points they are gathering in just now will be very useful should they get off colour a bit, as most teams do at some time or other .
It is also quite evident that the public are satisfied with the team's play, for the attendances show an increase on last year.
The new banking on the south side has become quite a favourite resort for the spectators, who have a splendid view of the whole game.
Although the re-erected stand was opened on Saturday, the number was restricted, only 200 being allowed the privilege of having a seat in it.
Some more red-tapeisin has to be gone through, before the erection is finally passed.
There were no sensational results in the qualifying ties on Saturday. Leith got the verdict over Raith Rovers, and Peterhead got their quietus from Elgin City. Harp and University also bade farewell to the cup.
The draws took place on Tuesday, when the qualifiers will rank to play in the Scottish Cup proper.
The Glasgow final is due this week, but the finalists had not been determined when we went to press.
In their holiday game on Monday Hearts scored off two penalties. The Aberdeen management feel that they have a grievance against Dundee for being thrown over in preference to the Hearts.
Th echances are that Dundee will be without a fixture this week, as Partick Thistle will be engaged in the Qualifying ties.

Source: Bon-Accord, 7th October 1909

N.B. From the description of the opening goal in the Aberdeen Daily Journal, it could be argued that it was an own goal by Reid, but most papers made no mention of the touch and gave it to Lennie, so we have not deprived the wee man of a goal in his statistics.
AFCHT