Aberdeen 1 - 0 Clyde

There was a big holiday crowd at Pittodrie yesterday, when Aberdeen met Clyde in their return League match. The home team scored through Murray after five minutes' play. The game was keenly contested, play being of an exciting nature throughout. Clyde came very near scoring on several occasions, but the Aberdeen goalkeeper was very safe. Nichol had a capital try for Aberdeen, while later on Kyle almost scored for the Clyde. Right up to half-time the pace was fast. Interval:- Aberdeen, one; Clyde, nothing.
In the second period the Clyde played up spiritedly, and would have scored, but for some clever work by King in goal. He saved grandly fro McArtney, and Kyle, while Purvis cleared a fast shot from Murray. To the finish the game was fast, but there was no further scoring. Result:- Aberdeen, one goal; Clyde, nothing.

Source: The Scotsman, 3rd January 1911

Fully 15,000 spectators witnessed a rousing game at Pittodrie yesterday, when Clyde were the visitors in a Scottish League game. Aberdeen scored the only goal of the match about five minutes from the start, and thus ran out winners.
Neither of the teams turned out at full strength. On the home side, Neilson dropped out, and Murray was transferred to the extreme position, while McIntosh went inside right and W. D. Nicholl was drafted into centre; while Wyllie (injured) was substituted at centre-half by Macfarlane. In the visiting side, notable absentees were Internationalist Walker and Stirling. Teams:-

Aberdeen: King; Colman, Hume; Wilson, Macfarlane, Millar; Soye, McIntosh, W. D. Nicholl, Travers, Murray.
Clyde: Purvis; Gilligan, Blair; McAndrew, Morrison, Collins; Jackson, McArtney, Hunter, Kyle, Young.
Refereee - Mr. G. H. McKenzie, Glasgow.
Linesmen - Mr. Robinson, Edinburgh; and Mr. Bennie, Falkirk.

THE CROWD

The game marked a new departure in Scottish League football in the introduction of neutral linesmen. Included in the crowd which greeted the teams were 500 enthusiasts from Bridgeton, Glasgow, and the time was whiled away by the pipe band of the Oakbank Industrial School, for which institution a collection was made.

THE GAME

Colman won the toss, and elected to play towards the sea, there being a nasty cross wind. Nicholl burst off in the first minute, and, after Gilligan had relieved, there was great cheering when Macfarlane returned the ball. Soye sent in a high one, but this went over, and then ex-Queen's Parker McAndrew let Kyle away. The old Rangers' forward did not get past Macfarlane. Next in the "light" was Travers, but he was overshadowed by a good tackle by Blair. The Clyde backs were not too sure in their kicking under pressure. Murray got a nice chance from Millar, and attempted to open the game out, but Morrison spoilt the move. A foul took Clyde nearer to King than they had been.
McAndrew punted the ball nicely down, but Colman kicked clear. Nicholl went ahead, and Soye, getting the ball, squared. The sphere fell to Murray after Nicholl had just missed with his head, and Tommy let drive from a difficult angle, the ball cannoning into the net off the upright. Clyde tried to make headway, but Macfarlane, with a header, cleared the danger threatened by Sailor Hunter. Pretty play between Wilson and Colman saw Nicholl give perfectly to Soye, and that centre centred accurately for Blair to head away.
At last Clyde got down, and after Colman had failed, McArtney, with only King to beat, completely missed the ball, and Hume cleared. Back came Clyde, however, and Hume, with none too steady kicking, did not inspire the confidence of the crowd. Clyde got a corner, but McIntosh cleared with a timely kick. Lovely passing by the Clyde left saw the game one more near to King, but Macfarlane did not allow Hunter to steady for a finishing effort. Murray, when he got the ball, repeatedly tried to introduce the long, swinging pass game, but this appeared to suit the style of the Clyde. Play for a time was slack; but Soye with a long dribble, took the play round in Aberdeen's favour. After this Clyde again got off, and Colman was conspicuous for magnificent clearing. After a foul had relieved pressure on King, Soye and one of these old-time bewildering runs, and the result was a high cross by the outside right. Blair missed, and Travers trapped, but before he could shoot Morrison had cleared - a clever and resourceful piece of play.

A DAY OF DEFENCE

AT times there were some good flashes of combination, but all over it was a day of defence. Young was in a 'cute mood on the Clyde left, and once in particular he gave Colman the slip before the back could wink. Aberdeen's, however, is not only an individual defence, and with that combination which has always marked the play of the team, Macfarlane went to the aid of his skipper. Good work by the far-travelled Kyle allowed Hunter to get through, and that player, with the goal at his mercy, scooped into King's hands. Taken by surprise, King only scraped the ball away, and Hunter returned it, only to see it alight on the top of the net, with King Bewildered. Having once smelt blood without tasting it, Clyde were determined, and Hunter harassed the home backs to some purpose. Soye brought relief, and he had a thirty-yarder, which beat Purvis, but was ultimately scraped away. Nicholl next had a characteristic burst, and what a yell there was when the soldier centre was tripped near the penalty line. It takes more than a foul close in to flurry Clyde, and they soon cleared this, and got down on King. Jackson had a good clear run, and beat Hume but Colman, by magnificent judgement, averted a corner. Then Kyle missed a good chance by that hesitancy which loses so many goals in important matches. Good work by Jackson saw Millar and Hume beaten. Colman, ever ready, headed away the centre, but Kyle got possession, and after manoeuvring for position, gave King a grounder, which Arthur cleared in great style. The game was of a give-and-take nature, with Clyde giving as good as they were getting, and sometimes giving more. Nicholl was very eager to get at Purvis, or at least to beat him, and in consequence of this he had a tendency to forget the offside rule. Just before the interval whistle, he had a good try, which went slightly wide.

All over the half was evenly contested. Aberdeen were superior in the opening stages, when they scored, and it was only their superiority at this time that justified their lead at half-time. Clyde were not a whit inferior in outfield work, but, like Aberdeen, were weak near goal.

There was a holiday spirit abroad among the 15,000 spectators who saw the restart, and the scenes during the interval were animated and varied. The son facing them hampered the Aberdeen defence, but Soye soon got off, and, dribbling around Collins and Blair, squared well in front of Purvis, but Gilligan, the hero of many fights, brought relief. Aberdeen tried a long-passing-ahead game, which did not pay, and King, stretched at full length, saved grandly from Jackson. This was the only incident for a time, but Clyde were eager for the equaliser. Travers forced the pace, but all he could get was a bye, and then King caught and threw out a bouncing ball from Hunter. Aberdeen were hemmed in for a time, but none of the opposing forwards were allowed within likely scoring range of King. It was once more left to Soye to relieve the pressure, and, as before, he finished by squaring nicely in front of the Clyde goal. Although harassed by Gilligan, Murray returned, but Millar volleyed high over. Back went Clyde, and King's acquaintance never very distant, was renewed, and Morrison drove over. Soye was making up for his Saturdays weakness, and he plied the ball ahead to some tune. Once more he allowed Murray to get possession, and Tom eight dribbled nicely passed Gilligan, and shot into Purvis's hands. A few seconds later, again from Soye's cross, Gilligan was lucky to get his food on the ball before Murray.
Macfarlane was ever a robust player, but referee McKenzie disagreeing with his style, had him penalised. After some Hearts had thrilled as the result of Sailor Hunter's proximity to King, the thrills went the other way, and the whole of the home side bore down on Purvis, who had to field a long effort. After Aberdeen had had a fairly long, pretty, but unremunerative innings, Clyde were once more back in view, and after a spell of pressure by the right, Hunter shot high over. Nichol was not coming off in the centre, and although he had to dash, he seldom carried the ball within. Murray accordingly went centre, and Nichol took up his regimental position. King had to clear a long shot by Kyle, and then Soye flashed along the wing. This time Blair blocked the cross, and, following pressure by Jackson, King had a bye-kick, which was soon followed by a corner. Collins drove in, and King saved well on the post. Subsequently King was fairly in the danger zone, but he never wavered, and is picking up was marked by precision and accuracy. Clyde could not be shaken off for quite a long period. At last relief came. McIntosh carried the ball up the field and crossed, only to see Nichol drive the ball with terrific force against the upright, and from thence it rebounded out of play. Soye's dribbling was of great value to his side, and had it not been for Clyde's good defence, goals must have come from his crosses. Murray, dribbling well down, forced a corner, and from this Millar had a reeking drive, which went over.
Soye got his leg injured in collision with Collins, and had to retire for a time, but, although crippling, the resumed in a few minutes. Macfarlane emulated Millar's feat with a raking drive from long range, and then Jackson brought Clyde again to the fore. Soye was soon back in his element, but his cross went behind on this occasion. A few minutes later king had a thrilling save from, McArtney. Clyde looked like a beaten team, that they had a fair share of the play, but were weak at finishing. Near the close Aberdeen burst off, and Purvis, rushing out, cannoned the ball up against and winded Gilligan, who soon recovered and the danger was cleared. It was unmistakably a gruelling game, and Aberdeen deserve their win.

Source: Aberdeen Daily Journal, 3rd January 1911