Aberdeen 3 - 0 Bo'ness

This twice postponed cup tie was decided at Aberdeen, before 5000 spectators. Aberdeen had the better of matters throughout, and were never really stretched. In the first half the home team led by two goals to nothing, Murray and Wilson scoring. Bo'ness improved after the interval, but were seldom dangerous. O'Hagan scored a third goal for Aberdeen, who retired easy winners. Result :- Aberdeen, three goals, Bo'ness, nothing.

Source: The Scotsman, 7th February 1910

The score 3-0 hardly indicates the run of the play in the game between Aberdeen and Bo-ness. So much gratuitous advice, "not to take things easy," had the effect of showing the Aberdeen attack at its best for the first quarter of an hour. So much pressure was put on the defence that but for the eagerness on the part of some of the forwards goals would have come galore. Three cases of offsides right away nullified good runs by the wings, but the first goal came from Bert Murray, who had hard likes previously with a better shot. It appeared as if the chance was to go abegging when Bert Murray seized the opportunity and shot hard into the far corner of the net. His colleagues were demonstrative, for it is some time now since Bert accomplished the trick of scoring. Pegging away, Wilson from close in ran through with a second goal within fifteen minutes of the start. Little or nothing had been seen of the visitors, who were too busy defending to think much of the attack, and they were quite satisfied to be only two goals down at half-time.
Having once mattered them in outfield play, Aberdeen did not drive home the opportunities as they might have done and piled on a large score. Colman and Hume were equal to all demands, and Mutch only got to kick off and handle by request. The prettiest goal of the game was that which Charlie O'Hagan scored, and the play leading up to it was entirely the Irishman's initiative. It proved to be the last goal scored, offsides being responsible for chalking off other two that had landed in the net, a pleasantly contested game ending 3-0 in Aberdeen's favour.

The Players

Thomson and his backs got plenty to do, and on the whole deserved to be complimented on their display. Rankine was slightly the superior in the middle line, and Mercer and Macdonald were the most dangerous of the forwards. The only fault that could be found with the Aberdeen players was in not pressing home the many chances they had of increasing their goal register. Each and all did well, but will have to force the pace all the time next week.

Chatty Bits

England meet Ireland onSaturday at Belfast. This will be the first of the Association Internationls.
Charlie O'Hagan has decided to forego his place in this international on account of the tie at Pittodrie.

Source: Bon-Accord, 10th February 1910

The Aberdeen team had little difficulty in disposing of Bo'ness in the first round of the Scottish cup competition at Pittodrie on Saturday. About 5000 spectators witnessed the match - postponed twice on account of snow and frost - which was played under favorable conditions, there being hardly a breath of wind, the only disadvantage being that the ground was soft and heavy. Owing to the illness of Hossack, the Bo'ness right half, there were several changes in the positions of the Bo'ness made and forward lines. Teams:-

Aberdeen: Mutch; Colman, Hume; Davidson, Macfarlane, Miller; H. Murray, Simpson, Wilson, O'Hagan, Lennie.
Bo'ness: Thomson; McLean, McIntosh; Lochead, Rankine, Rodger; Messer, Murray, Morton, had no, Macdonald.
Referee - Mr. Winter, Dundee.

From the determined and businesslike way in which Aberdeen set to work, it was evident that the First Leaguers were not to make the mistake of taking their opponents too cheaply, but the first 10 minutes' play proved that Bo'ness are not in the same class as Aberdeen. A full measure of clever footwork and calculated combination was exhibited by all the Aberdeen players, but the chief source of trouble was the O'Hagan-Lennie wing, which was at its best. Several times the Bo'ness goal was in danger ere it fell, 10 minutes from the start. Lennie was fouled near the corner flag, and, from the kick, Wilson headed to Murray, who snapped at the chance, and smartly tapped the ball into the empty Bo'ness goal, Thompson having left his charge in an effort to intercept the ball as it came to Wilson's head. The Bo'ness forwards seldom got past the Aberdeen half-backs, and when they did their plan was the old and simple one of kick ahead and follow up with a rush. These rushes were easily checked by the Aberdeen backs. Against a fast passing of the Aberdeen forwards the Bo'ness backs showed up well, and with the tackling and kicking at close quarters little fault could be found, although they had much to be thankful for in the bad marksmanship of the Aberdeen shooters. Wilson had a tendency to lie offside, for which he was twice checked, and he was suspiciously near an infringement of this ticklish rule, just before getting the pass, which enabled him to rush close in and score Aberdeen's second goal within unsavable shot. Aberdeen took up a close attack on the Bo'ness goal, forcing corners and trying Thomson, but failing to get the ball again into the net. Owing to slackness by Colman in a tackle, Bo'ness had their first dangerous run. Hume kicking out MacDonald's cross near Mutch. The next look-in by Bo'ness was following a three kick, their first shot at Mutch's goal, a long drive by Morton, going over the bar. Thomson held a fast shot from Murray after Simpson had missed narrowly. The game was too one-sided to be interesting, and after the first few minutes had little of cup tie uncertainty about it.

On resuming after the interval, Bo'ness played with greater energy and more purpose than at any other period of the game. For 5 minutes they made the running, and Macdonald on the extreme left, proved troublesome with his short-stepping sprints up the wing and his swinging crosses. Mutch had to save a long shot from Macdonald, and from one of the outside left's passes he had again to handle. Then the Aberdeen players again got to business, and repeated attacks converging on the centre from both wings provoked Wilson into some extraordinary exhibitions of Spartan-like disregard of life and limb, the centre rushing, diving, and throwing himself about as if eager to follow the ball over, under, or round the bar, or even underground if necessary, and how he escaped injury is little short of miraculous. Wilson's whirlwind exertions amused the crowd had worried the Bo'ness defenders. Thomson saved a fast ground shot from Lennie, and held another, not very confidently, from Simpson. The Bo'ness goalkeeper came well out of several severe trials, saving cleverly from Simpson and Wilson before again having to acknowledge defeat. Aberdeen's third goal was the best of the match, and well worked for, as it could be seen coming, so to speak, almost from midfield. Left with an almost clear field, O'Hagan dropped the ball out to Lennie, and the outside left, running down to near the goal line, crossed with rare judgement of breast-high ball, which O'Hagan simply walked into the net, Thomson having no chance to save. Wilson had the ball again in the net after the whistle had sounded for offside. With a three-goal lead, Aberdeen began to indulge in fancy work at the expense of the Bo'ness players. A poor cup tie, in which the visitors were completely outclassed, ended - Aberdeen 3, Bo'ness 0.

Aberdeen now meet Airdrieonians in the second round of the Scottish cup competition at Pittodrie on Saturday.

Source: Aberdeen Daily Journal, 7th February 1910