Kilmarnock 0 - 1 Aberdeen

Over 6000 spectators were present at Kilmarnock for the visit of Aberdeen, the undefeated League leaders. AT the moment Chalmers had to turn out for Cunningham, who had sustained a family bereavement. A strong wind was blowing up the field, and Aberdeen had its assistance in the first half. The visitors were attacking all the time, but the wind made the ball difficult to control, and it was continually being blown over the goal-line. Only once, at a corner kick, in the early part of the game, was Rennie in serious difficulty, and he succeeded in clearing. Half an hour had gone when Aberdeen got the only goal of the match. Soye had the ball well out towards the touch-line, and sent it across, and Travers scored easily from close range. "Killie" had an occasional run to the other end, and the most dangerous tries came from Gilchrist. On the call of half-time the home centre lost a great chance to equalise. All through the second half, Kilmarnock were the most aggressive side, but they were never really dangerous. Their forwards could not finish, and Colman and Hume were able to clear without much difficulty. Aberdeen were the better side, and deserved their victory. Result:- Aberdeen, one goal; Kilmarnock, nothing.

Source: The Scotsman, 17th October 1910

The Aberdeen team visited Kilmarnock on Saturday, and met the Ayrshire club in a league engagement. The pitch was in capital order, but the strong wind greatly interfered with the play. There were fully 7000 spectators inside the ground when the game started. Teams:-

Kilmarnock: Rennie; Kirkwood, Mitchell; Halley, Barrie, Anderson; A. Armour, Howie, Gilchrist, Chalmers, Templeton.
Aberdeen: King; Colman, Hume; Wilson, Wyllie, Millar; Soye, McIntosh, Murray, Travers, Lennie.
Referee - Mr. Murray, Stenhousemuir.

In the first half Aberdeen played with the wind and sun at their backs. Kilmarnock, however, were the first to make headway, Howie and Armour executing a quick movement on the right wing, but human stopped their progress with a timely return. Templeton next got away on the left only to be pulled up by Colman, and then followed some pretty play in which Wilson, McIntosh, and Travers were conspicuous. Thus early in the game, however, it was evident that the high wind would seriously interfere with the play. The ball was frequently among the spectators, and for a time a series of throws-in rendered the play very uninteresting. The first really dangerous movement on the Aberdeen side came when Murray and Travers broke away near midfield. The latter slipped the ball out to Lennie, but the left winger failed to gather the leather in time, and soon Kirkwood transferred play to the other end of the field. Kilmarnock, however, failed to combine with any degree of success in the front line, while Hume and Colman invariably got the ball away with little difficulty. So far there had been nothing in the game to arouse enthusiasm, the backs on both sites monopolising the play, with the result that the forwards were unable to settle down. Latterly, Lennie and Travers gave considerable trouble on the left wing, and when the first-named eventually beat Kirkwood near the touchline and then centred right across the goalmouth, Aberdeen appeared almost certain to score. Soye caught out Lennie's pass, but the goalkeeper rushed out just as the right-winger was on the point of scoring. Rennie, however, got the ball away but a moment too soon. This incident was followed by a clever bit of play by Templeton, who, beating Colman at midfield, raced right up to within a few yards of goal. Wyllie, however, came to the rescue, and cleared Templeton's centre, while a minute later the centre-half was again prominent in clearing a hot attack by Gilchrist and Howie. Again Kilmarnock came away strongly, Gilchrist leading off, while Armour and Howie joined in the movement, which, however, was checked in time by Hume rushing between the players and clearing with a rousing kick. Play on the whole ruled very even for a time, Kilmarnock showing up well against the stiffish breeze. Gradually Aberdeen had more of the play, and but for a clever save by Rennie the visitors would undoubtedly have scored. The ball came across from a corner on the left, and Murray hooked the ball cleverly towards the corner of the net. Rennie, however, sprang at the ball, and brought off a capital clearance. Again Aberdeen attacked in a body, but Kirkwood and Mitchell defended skilfully at back. Good work by Anderson enabled Templeton to head away, but Colman pulled up the left-winger and returned the ball well down the field. The game for a time was quite uneventful, and then Aberdeen got a goal, which came in a rather unexpected manner. Wilson and McIntosh opened up the play, and eventually the ball went to Soye near but touchline. He beat Mitchell, and then raced ahead. Nearing goal, Soye sent across a perfect centre, which Travers caught up, and finally breasted the ball into the net. Kilmarnock responded with spirited forward play, but the Aberdeen backs were always able to clear their lines. A free-kick to Kilmarnock, however, looked dangerous for Aberdeen, but Colman cleared with his head, and the ball was ultimately carried along the left wing by Lennie, who lost it near the goal-line. Play was very keen, and at times exciting, but the quality of the football was only fair. Time and again the ball went spinning into touch, being carried over the lines by the strong wind. The surprise drive by Gilchrist was splendidly saved by King, who managed to grab the ball on the ground near the upright. Won the pole, however, the goalkeepers had a quiet time. Closer on the interval Kilmarnock lost an easy chance of scoring. Howie and Armour carried the ball along the right wing, and then Halley joined in the rush for goal. The half-back gave to Gilchrist, who slipped Hume, but, when only 5 yards from the goalkeeper, the Kilmarnock centre forward screwed the ball a wide of the posts.

With the breeze in their favour in the second half, Kilmarnock were soon the attacking side, and from their early movements it was evident that they were determined to get on a level footing. Most of the forward work came from the right, were Howie and Armour were particularly active. A centre from Armour was picked up by Gilchrist, but ere he could steady himself Wyllie literally bundled the Kilmarnock forward off the ball. Playing raged around the Aberdeen goalmouth for a time, but Coleman and Hume, splendidly supported by the half-backs, put up a solid defence. Time and again the visiting backs cleared their lines in praiseworthy fashion, but Kilmarnock, at the same time, lost numerous likely openings through sheer recklessness. Twice Halley sent the ball wide of the net when he could have tipped it along to Armour and Howie, who were better placed for scoring. Amid all the stirring play near the Aberdeen goal, however, it was astonishing how King was so seldom tested. As the game advanced, Aberdeen drew back Travers and McIntosh, and thus played only three forwards - Lennie, Murray, and Soye. The three lot of players occasionally broke away, but Kirkwood and Mitchell were rarely in difficulties. Play for the most part, indeed, was confined to the Aberdeen end of the field, where the backs were always in evidence. Templeton, curiously enough, was seldom in the game this half, the Kilmarnock forward play being confined to Armour, Howie, and Gilchrist. A momentary breakaway by Murray and Lennie caused Rennie to rush out and clear, while him minutes later Soye was pulled up for offside when in a splendid position for scoring. Latterly the game developed into a regular tussle between the Aberdeen defence and the Kilmarnock forwards, but the latter were easily held in check at close quarters. Three successive corners to Kilmarnock were cleared by the Aberdeen backs, and it latterly became evident that the home team were quite unable to overcome the Aberdeen defence. The only occasion when King was seriously tested was when Kirkwood sent in a drooping shot, which King cleared finely. Near the close Aberdeen shook off the persistent attacks of the home forwards, with the result that Soye, Murray, and Lennie all had good tries for goal at the other end. Wilson, too, was prominent in a strong rally by Aberdeen, but the defence on both sides held event to the end.

Source: Aberdeen Daily Journal, 17th October 1910

The feeling amongst Aberdeen supporters prior to Saturday was that their team had a big task to beat Kilmarnock at Rugby Park, and if they retained their unbeaten certificate it would be a very fine performance indeed. Leaving Aberdeen on Friday afternoon, the team put up in Glasgow overnight, and on Saturday forenoon along with a few friends they went down to Kilmarnock to settle the issue. Fine weather prevailed, and, there was a good attendance, the only drawback being a strong wind which blew down the field.

A general impression prevailed before the start that the team playing with the breeze had a capital chance of the, points, provided they could control the ball. In any case the wind was of considerable assistance to those whom it benefitted during the opening stage. Fortunately, Colman won the toss, and Aberdeen were not long in showing the crowd they were out to win, but the ball frequently travelled farther than the men, which spoiled the play cormpletely. Prominent in the early part of the game were Tom Murray, Macintosh, and Soye, who had splendid efforts to score, but Rennie was not allowing anything to pass.
The pressure was too persistent to bring anything tangible till a spell of open play ensued, through several solo runs on the part of Templeton. This occurred thirty minutes after the start, when the Brora lad let the right wing away. Soye heat his man beautifully, and crossed the ball. It was bound to reach the net by some one, for Rennie was beaten to the world. Travers got his head on it at the right moment, and first blood came to the visitors. It was hard, luck on Lennie shortly after having the wind curling a fine drive on the wrong side. Strong forward play kept the Kilmarnock defence busy, but they managed to keep their opponents from further scoring. It was felt that a 1-0 lead at half-time was hardly sufficient to ensure a win, as the home team were thought to be able to play better in the second period.

Aberdeen felt the pressure soon, but Colman and Hume are a difficult pair to beat when their backs are up. With King making a great save from the centre, confidence restored, and if the home side were more in the picture in half it must not be construed that Aberdeen did nothing. They visited Rennie oftener than did the "Killie," lads see King in the first period, while the shooting of the home side left much to be desired. Try as they could, to get past the defence, there was always an Aberdonian popping up at the right time, when danger appeared. In this half we admired Wyllie very much for his offensive tactics. It was marvellous the way he pulled up the inside men, and burst many promising runs repeatedly. With thirty minutes gone it was quite evident that Kilmarnock would not score. Nor did they ever look like doing so, while Aberdeen in their rushes looked a dangerous lot. Aberdeen kept their goal intact, and finished winners by 1-0 a very hard gems being witnessed.

PLAY AND PLAYERS.

As already remarked the wind spoiled the play, making it more of a defensive game than one in which the attack had much chance of shining. In this department the home defence were all good, Barrie being best in the middle line, and Gilchrist and Templeton best in the forwards.
King, Colman, and Hume were impregnable, and their work in the second, half was beyond reproach. Millar and Wilson were best in the first half, but Wyllie in the second half outshone the other two, The forward line were handicanped considerably, a lot of their work going for nothing through the speed that was on the ball. As a whole, the line worked splendidly together, but their shooting was not all that could have been desired. One was not to blame more than another, and when they won the match little blame need be attached to any shortcomings they may have had.

CHATTY BITS.

Aberdeen have now beaten all previous records, their position now being one of real merit and not on sufferance.
Of course it is too early yet to crow, but 15 points out of a possible 18 is not bad work at all.
Nor is the A team very far behind in the Reserve League, which we append :- Played 6, won 4, and drawn 2. They have earned 10 points out of a possible 12.
That success meets its due reward is evidenced by the fact that the attendance at Pittodrie on Saturday was most gratifying.
The selection of Colman and Lennie for the Inter-League game at Belfast, on Monday week has given unbounded satisfaction.
In the selection of a team to meet the Southern League on Monday, the birth qualification has been discarded, and Jocky Simpson and Herbert Dainty gain honours which they little dreamed of.
Brechin City made a gallant fight against the cupholders in the Qualifying competition. Leith won by 1-0.
Chalmers, who left Clyde for Woolwich Arsenal, turned out for his new club on Saturday, and created a very favourable impression.
His successor at Shawfield, "Sailor" Hunter, also made his first appearance, and scored a good goal for his side.
It is said that Clyde paid £250 for Hunter; he will be a bargain if he scores consistently as he has begun.

Source: Bon-Accord, 20th October 1910