Aberdeen and Saint Mirren met at Love Street Grounds, Paisley, on Saturday in their return Scottish League fixture in presence of 4000 spectators. Early in the season Aberdeen won at Pittodrie by 2 goals to 0, and again carried off the points on Saturday, when they won by 2-1. Aberdeen were at full strength, but Saint Mirren were without several of their regular players. The conditions were favorable for the game, while the pitch was in first-rate order. Teams:-
Saint Mirren: Keith; Featherstone, Ritchie; Harvey, Alan, Weir; Clements, Cunningham, Brown, Millar, Husband.
Aberdeen: Mutch; Colman, Hume; Davidson, Wilson, Miller; H. Murray, Simpson, T. Murray, O'Hagan, Lennie.
Referee - Mr. T. Dougray, Nitshill.
The Saint Mirren started off in promising style. In the first minute Brown picked up a pass from Cunningham, and immediately let drive for goal from about 20 yards out. Mutch, however, was in readiness, and cleared safely. Lennie and O'Hagan took up the running for Aberdeen, but effective tackling on the part of Harvey transfered to play to the vicinity of the Aberdeen goal. Saint Mirren were undoubtedly the better side during the opening stages, and a lovely shot by Husband almost brought out the first goal. Miller, inside left, was prominent for the Paisley men, and a clever pass from this player to Husband enabled the latter to cut straight into goal with only Mutch to beat, but the left winger's parting effort struck the outside of the net. Aberdeen were kept strictly on the defensive. The strong play of the Saint Mirren half-backs preventing the Aberdeen forwards from settling down to their game. Indeed, the Aberdeen front rank during the opening quarter of an hour rarely got past midfield. Colman and Hume were never idle, and on one occasion the right back just managed to check Miller when the latter was steadying himself to shoot after a clever run. Later on the Saint Mirren forwards attacked in a body, and some exciting play was witnessed at the Aberdeen goalmouth. Clements crossed the ball from the right, and Brown headed across to Miller, who in turn slipped the leather across to Husband. The last named shot hard and true, but Mutch sprang across his goal line and saved finely near the post. The next minute a header from the Saint Mirren centre was cleared by Mutch. Relief came to Aberdeen when Colman sent the ball well down the field. H. Murray and Simpson raced away, but the ball was sent behind, this being the first visit paid by the Aberdeen forwards to the Saint Mirren end of the field. Twice Clements sent across accurate centres - the first was picked up by Brown, who, however, shot too high, while on the second occasion the centre-forward was pulled up for offside. The game was very one sided, Saint Mirren having all the play, but score they could not, mainly due to the strong defence of the visitors - Mutch, Colman, and Hume being quite at their best. The Saints were particularly lively on the left wing, Miller being conspicuous, while Husband had many clever runs on the wing. Brown, however, frequently spoiled the good work of the other forwards by getting off side, although on one occasion he got away on his own and finished with a capital shot, which Mutch cleared. Davidson put in some very good work for Aberdeen, while Wilson and Millar were also prominent, but the forwards were practically useless - at least, they seldom made headway against the opposing half-backs. Harvey attempted to capture the Aberdeen goal, and almost succeeded. He came through a crowd of players with the ball had his feet. But just when within a yard of the penalty line he was fouled by Wilson. The free kick was nicely placed to Clements, who crossed the ball to Miller. A terrific drive by the inside left was luckily blocked by Wilson, who got the full force of the shot on his body, the ball ultimately rebounding up the field. This incident occurred at the end of 30 minutes' play, and then Aberdeen opened the scoring. Lennie got on the ball a little beyond midfield, and although closely followed by Harvey, Featherstone, and Allan, the left-winger retained possession and raced right into goal. Nearing Keith, the Aberdeen outside left, who was backed up by T. Murray, shot for the net. The goalkeeper saved, but could not retain the ball, which was collared by Lennie a second time, and finally landed in the net. The goal came as a distinct surprise, for up to this stage the Saint Mirren had played really good football, and enjoyed a priest three-fourths of the play, yet they were a goal down before half-time. Aberdeen improved after their opening goal, and a long pass from Simpson to H. Murray sent the latter on his way to wards the Saint Mirren goal. He crossed at the right moment, and Lennie, rushing in, almost landed the ball in the net. But the left-winger was pulled up for offside, and so the chance was lost. Near the interval the Saint Mirren had hard luck in not equalising. A free kick close to the Aberdeen penalty line was well placed by Harvey to Miller, whose parting shot rebounded off one of the Aberdeen players, while a minute later Colman cleared a fast drive almost under the bar. Cunningham next made a good attempt to gain the equaliser, Mutch actually scraping away the ball from the inside right when the latter was within a yard of the goal-line.
Fast play characterised the game at the start of the second half, and it was early evident that Saint Mirren were determined to get the equaliser. A smart bit of play by Simpson, however, enabled H. Murray to break away, but he failed to make the most of his opening, and sent the ball behind. Clements worked the ball splendidly along the Saint Mirren right wing, and finished with a fine cross, which landed the ball at Brown's feet. He hesitated for a moment, however, and his slackness in seizing his advantage, with only the goalkeeper to beat, enabled Wilson to rush in and clear. The saints thus lost an easy chance of getting on level terms. The Aberdeen forwards were more in the game this half, Simpson showing up well at inside right. Indeed, it was mainly due to his efforts that the front rank were in a position to enjoy a monopoly of the play at this stage of the game. He gave T. Murray one particularly good pass, but the centre made poor use of an easy chance of scoring when he sent the ball weakly past the outside of the net. The game was keenly contested, and at times feeling crept into the play. Ritchie, T. Murray, and Lennie got nasty knocks, while Wilson was also injured in a hot scrimmage at the Aberdeen goalmouth. Husband, Brown, and Cunningham were at fault in not improving upon some fine play by Miller and Clements, although at the same time the Aberdeen defence - Wilson and Colman in particular - were very smart in their clearances at close quarters. For the first time in the game the Aberdeen left wing came into prominence - Lennie and O'Hagan treating the spectators to some very pretty but ineffective play. The pair past and repassed in their best style, but little advantage was gained, although their movements were the means of keeping the game more in the Saints' territory, and us to some extent relieving the Aberdeen defence. Perhaps the best shot on the Saint Mirren side came from Miller, a lovely drive from the inside left being cleared by Mutch close to the crossbar. This was followed by a shot from Lennie at the other end, which completely beat the Saints' goalkeeper. Lennie's shot was sent in from fully 30 yards range, and ought to have been saved, but Keith was apparently taken by surprise, for he made no attempt to stop the ball. Aberdeen's second goal practically settled the issue, for the Saint Mirren players fell away greatly, although Clements, Miller, and Weir did capital work. Aberdeen improved all along the line, their forwards being clever in the open, but they seldom tested the goalkeeper. Ten minutes from the finish the home team came away strong on the right. Clements raced past the Aberdeen defence, and then crossed to the centre. Brown and Wilson both made for the ball, but the first named got there first, and quickly diverted the leather into the net. The closing stages witnessed another rally on the part of the Paisley men, but Aberdeen responded with some fast play on the right, and held their advantage to the end.
Source: Aberdeen Daily Journal, 21st March 1910
