Aberdeen 2 - 1 St. Mirren

At Aberdeen before 5000 spectators and on a snow covered ground. Aberdeen almost scored in the first minute through Lennie. St. Mirren responded with a brisk movement on the right wing, and Cunningham missed the net with a fine drive. Both sides settled down to play good football. St. Mirren were the more dangerous side by reason of their wide-passing methods. The Paisley men scored a clever goal shortly before half-time, Husband heading past King from a Centre. In the second half the home team re-arranged their front rank, McIntosh replacing Murray in the centre. St. Mirren, however, were early in evidence, and good work by J. Cunningham and Husband caused a lot of trouble at the Aberdeen goal mouth. Latterly, however, Aberdeen went away strongly, and Murray equalised, and McIntosh soon added a second. Result:- Aberdeen, two goals; St. Mirren, one.

Source: The Scotsman, 21st November 1910

With the hard frost and fall of snow in the early hours of Saturday, it was a moot point whether the Aberdeen officials would have the pitch at Pittodrie in order for a League game. The strong sun during the forenoon saved the situation, and though the pitch was hard in some parts, there was a tolerably safe footing to be had, and when the referee arrived he had no hesitation in approving of the course adopted. St Mirren were surprised when they came north and saw the white mantel of snow for they had left Paisley with little or no sign of winter.

Winning the toss, the Saints played eastwards, Aberdeen showing up well for a start. It was evident, however, to most that Aberdeen were adopting the wrong tactics for the state of the ground. They hugged the ball too closely, giving their opponents ample time to clear for the reason that top speed could never be got up to rush the defence. Several times the spectators got thrills, the home forwards being so near and yet so far from scoring. After doing the most of the outfield work Aberdeen got a lesson in how to manipulate the ball on a treacherous surface. St Mirren set about with long, swinging passes, and wandering the Aberdeen defence, a goal came most unexpectedly to the "Saints," though the point was well deserved. King would have saved had not the slippy nature of the ground made him slip in his attempt. Another fine effort by the outside-left was well held by King, and it deserved to count more than did the one which he let past. Aberdeen could do everything but shoot goals, and many were the head-shakings at half-time that the home team had shot their bolt.

Without leaving the field, play started fiercely, Aberdeen showing an earnestness in their play which had been lacking all through the first half. Seldom did the Saints get over the midway line, and when they did their efforts were futile. Blocking up their goal and kicking out when possible were the tactics adopted, to the ire of the home crowd; but so persistent were the forwards that in their excitement they were shooting wildly, when a cool, methodical touch was all that was required. Twice Grant was beaten to the world, had the forwards kept their heads, while several offside decisions, not altogether correct, seemed to upset them. A good claim for a penalty was refused, and then from a splendid cross, the ball kept bobbing in the air till Tom Murray got his head on it and planked it in the net. By this time Macintosh had gone into centre, with Tom Murray at outside-right, and Mac. certainly put more life into the play. A very fine effort by Soye was chalked off for being in an offside position, but Macintosh gave the crowd something to cheer about with a shot that Grant could not touch. It was just such an effort that he failed with at Dundee; but on this occasion it put his side one up with only ten minutes to go. Shot after shot was tried on Grant, but he defied all efforts to score, Aberdeen coming out worthy winners by 2 goals to 1.

PLAY AND PLAYERS.

0n such a treacherous pitch it would be unfair to seriously condemn any of the players severely. On the visitors side, Grant showed out as the best man on his side, and saved the Saints from a bigger defeat than they got. Riddell was the better of the two backs, and in the middle line the whole team did well, with Robertson slightly the best. The extreme wing men - Cunningham and Husband - have a good control of the ball, and know how to swing it across on such a pitch as they were playing on. Husband took the eye most, and the team as a whole performed very well. On the home side no fault could be found with King. He was beaten only once, and the backs were as much, to blame as him. Hume had a small bit of advantage over Colman on Saturday, the left-back kicking in greater length, while he kept his pins on the ice better. Millar was the best half, the other two put in a lot of hard work which did not count. The forwards won the game, but they lacked terribly in judgment. They might have had any number of goals if they had simply shot with more accuracy and from longer range. While their work would have been effective and pretty to look at in ordinary conditions, it was useless on Saturday. Out of the bunch, Murray and, Macintosh were best, and Soye and Lennie were good, the latter being very much improved from last week. Travers put in a power of work in the open, but we have never seen him so weak at goalmouth; but this was common to all, and the inside-left was no worse than the others. It will be admitted at once that Aberdeen were the better side, but they very nearly lost the game by not suiting their play to those requirements of the opposition, the state of the pitch.

CHATTY BITS.

Wintry weather seems to have been pretty prevalent on Saturday all over Scotland.
The early starts are having an appreciable effect on the "gates."
Quite the topic in football circles has been the sensational defeat of Clyde by Kilmarnock.
Tht Scottish League competition was never in such an open condition as it is at present.
With a better goal average, Rangers take top place; but there are so many within easy reach of the highest rung on the ladder that the slightest slip means a lot.
There is no chance of this season's competitions being a run away affair, as it has been for the past few years.
Leith got knocked out of the Qualifying ties on Saturday by Johnstone, but the cupholders have intimated a protest. If the protest is sustained, the winners of the replay will meet East Stirlingshire in the final.
Failing to secure the services of Colman, Manchester City secured Chaplin from Dundee last week-end.
Though Chaplin played for the City on Saturday there is likely to be some trouble over his transfer, as the Tottingham [sic.] Hotspur allege they have a claim on him.
Chaplin was with the 'Spurs for a season some three or four years ago, when he returned to Dundee, and the English club reported the matter then to the F.A.
Aberdeen A, had extremely hard lines in being defeated on Saturday, as they consider they had a legitimate goal chalked off. As it was, they did not badly in being defeated by 2-1.
The new man on trial at outside-right did fairly well, and is worth another trial. Others think there are as good at home.
Owing to the new rule that transfers will not be sanctioned in the last two months of the season, the English agents are busy just now. looking for talent.

Source: Bon-Accord, 24th November 1910