Aberdeen 3 - 0 Heart of Midlothian

Four thousand spectators turned out at Pittodrie, Aberdeen, at this return game, and these saw the locals win easily. In the earlier stages the play was fairly even, with the Aberdeen attack rather the better, but countered by the sterling defence which Rod, Walker and Muir offered. Later the Hearts' half-backs broke down, and Muir was kept busy till the interval, without, however, being beaten. Seven minutes after resuming, O'Hagan scored from a scrimmage in front of the Hearts' goal, and though after this Aberdeen monopolised the attack the last ten minutes were entered on before Tom Murray put them further ahead. Near the end Simpson also scored, and a one sided game result :- Aberdeen, three goals; Hearts, nothing.

Source: The Scotsman, 14th March 1910

There was a greater improvement in the form shown by the Aberdeen on Saturday against the Hearts than any we have seen this season. While the first forty-five minutes produced nothing tangible in the way of goals, the pace was fast, inducing expectations of good things to come if it was maintained. This half was mainly devoted to hard kicking, the dangerous shots coming from Aberdeen?s left wing and centre. Moore cleverly stopped one of Lennie's oblique shots, and others from O'Hagan and Tom Murray were dealt with in the custodian?s masterly way. There was more danger when Bert Murray ballooned a dead snip, and Bobby Simpson sent another over the bar. Buchanan was always in evidence by lying well up the field, and he fed his wings to perfection, but never got a shot in on his own through the close attention of the Brora lad. Sinclair had one decent shot towards the close of the period, but that was really all that could be said was dangerous from the Hearts' van during the initial half. Aberdeen at once swung into their game on resuming, Muir getting a very hot one from Lennie, which he guided past the post. A nice centre by the left winger led to the first goal, which Murray fell over in trying to hook past Muir, and in the mellee which occurred, Charlie O'Hagan lying in readiness for anything that might happen, fastened on to the rebound and ran the ball into the net. Though the next goal was some time in coming, it was not for lack of shooting, for Muir got all sorts of shots to deal with, and but for him the Hearts would have been many goals down before Tom Murray booked in the second goal ten minutes from time. It was a very smart effort, and one of those which has made the centre a terror to goalkeepers. Shortly after, Bobby Simpson put his team further ahead by a hard long drive which completely deceived Muir, Seldom was the Hearts over the midline during this period, being more busy defending than attacking. Aberdeen finished strong with their three goal lead, and all over were much improved on previous displays.

The Players

As already remarked, Muir could not be blamed for any of the goals he let past, and deserved credit for keeping out others that would have beaten a less capable custodian. Walker was the best of the two backs, and has greatly improved in style since we last saw him. The halves all put in a lot of work, but Mercer took our fancy most. Sinclair and Harker made the best pair, and Cole had several good runs, but found Davidson rather a hot handful. We like Buchanan's style for a centre, but he could never get away without Wilson being in hot pursuit. The complete and perfect understanding in Aberdeen's defence saved them a lot of work, while it also relieved them of a lot of worry when beaten. Their play could not have been improved on. In a great measure of ineffectiveness of the Hearts' attack was due to the fine work of Davidson, Wilson, and Millar. Perhaps the centre got most to do, but the others took their share of what was going and did it well. Tom Murray touched his real form, and made the others work as they have not done for some time. His dash infused the same spirit all along the line, and though the inside men were the scorers, the wing men put in a lot of genuine hard work in the second half especially.

Source: Bon Accord. 17th March 1910

There were only some 3000 spectators at Pittodrie, Aberdeen, on Saturday, to witness the Aberdeen team inflict a 3-0 defeat on the Heart of Midlothian. Upright sunshine and affair breeze helped play from the west goal. Teams:-

Aberdeen: Mutch; Colman, Hume; Davidson, Wilson, Miller; H. Murray, Simpson, T. Murray, O'Hagan, Lennie.
Hearts: Muir; Collins, Roderick Walker; A. J. Stewart, Mercer, Nellies; Sinclair, Harker, Buchanan, Gilmore, Cole.
Referee - Mr. J Penman, Falkirk.

Hearts had the sun and wind behind them in the first half, and for 20 minutes they profited by the advantage, forcing play in the Aberdeen end, but failing to get altogether over the Aberdeen defence. During this period the Aberdeen forwards were not idle, and, well led by Tom Murray, they had several promising runs, in which they were strongly backed up by the halves. These runs were usually checked by the Hearts' backs - a strong pair - but several times swinging passes to the wings were missed by Lennie and Bert Murray, who showed unusual weakness in judging the speed of the ball. After Muir had handled to avoid a corner, Simpson shot past at close range, and at the east goal Mutch, coming out to meet the ball, miskicked into touch. Muir was almost beaten by a fast shot from Lennie, the Hearts' goalkeeper throwing himself on the ball at the post. Mutch was next tried, and proved equal to a fast ground shot from Buchanan. Hearts attacked strongly, and Mutch had to move quickly to fist away a cross from the right. Mutch had again to leave his goal to save, dodging two Hearts and turning a half-somersault on the ground in doing so. Both goals were visited in turn, but only Muir was in serious trouble, a low shot of the surprise order going a few inches outside the upright, with Muir outstretched, completely beaten. Tom Murray sent over at close range, but was nearer the net with another cleverly-taken shot, which Muir was lucky to be able to reach to fist over. The Aberdeen defence was next in anxiety, but much was not troubled, Hume clearing close in. Sinclair was about to shoot on the run, when Colman smartly robbed him of the ball, and at the other goal Tom Murray looked like getting through, when he stumbled and fell. O'Hagan was a useful man in the Aberdeen attack, his passes out to the right giving Simpson and Bert Murray many chances to get to close quarters with Muir. Sinclair, well placed, shot past, and then with a dashing run Tom Murray rushed the ball into the Hearts' goal, where the centre was a trifle late with his shot, Rod Walker cleverly kicking the ball away from Murray's toe when a goal seemed certain. Murray's momentum carried him past Muir into the net, where he got entangled in the meshes. Tom Murray and O'Hagan by clever manoeuvring carried the ball again well into Muir, but only a corner resulted. Lennie forced another corner, and Aberdeen looked like scoring, when Stewart Davidson banged the ball past, yards wide. Hearts had not a corner in the first half, and were not value for goal, the failure to score by both sides being about caught the plate was worth.

To the Aberdeen team, almost to a man, was seen at the top of their form in the second half, I and, playing with precision and fire, mustard the Hearts' completely. Mutch was a spectator almost from start to finish, and met numerous balls far out from his goal, his fielding helping to keep the Hearts pinned into their own end of the field. The Edinburgh backs stood well up to the swift, tricky Aberdeen forwards, and when the backs were slipped Muir was equal to many attacks. He held a hot shot from Simpson and a lightning drive from Bert Murray, but was at last beat and in a mix-up in his goalmouth. Tom Murray rushed in with the ball, but when about to shoot tripped over the ball and fell. Attackers and defenders had a scrimmage for possession, and the ball coming out near O'Hagan, the inside left popped it into the net. Aberdeen well deserved to goal. Muir tipped over the bar a good shot by Wilson, and saved grandly from Lennie and Tom Murray. Hearts were seldom in the game, and the second half was 20 minutes old before they got there first and only corner-kick. Muir saved again from Simpson, but was beaten a second time. Lennie brought the ball in, and it was snapped up by Tom Murray, who, close to Muir, and with only about afoot between the goalkeeper and the post, flashed the ball into the net at a most remarkable angle, the ball apparently glancing off the goalkeeper into the net. Simpson scored Aberdeen's third goal with a characteristic left-foot shot from the penalty line. Aberdeen won easily.

Source: Aberdeen Daily Journal, 14th March 1910