St. Mirren 0 - 2 Aberdeen

At Paisley, before 5000 people. Taking the game all over it was a poor one, but Aberdeen were worthy winners. St Mirren started as if they meant to reverse the defeat sustained at Aberdeen some weeks ago, but after Denholm had shot well on two occasions, and Greig had saved from Magner, a mistake by a home back let Main through to register the first goal. It was perhaps a lucky point, but the subsequent play of St Mirren belied the belief that the Paisley team would secure the points. They fell away badly before the interval. In the second portion Aberdeen early became aggressive, and a second goal again came their way from another mistake, Main again being the scorer, and that point settled the destiny of the game. St Mirren went from bad to worse; so much so in fact that Greig had never a really dangerous shot to hold. Magner, it is true, bored through twice, but on each occasion the Aberdeen defence prevailed. With the exception of those isolated occasions, the visitors kept the home defence busy, and but for good saving on the part of O'Hagan the score might have been bigger against the home club. Result:- Aberdeen, 2 goals; St Mirren, 0.

Source: The Scotsman: 19th January 1914

Two well-taken goals by Main enabled Aberdeen to beat Saint Mirren at Paisley, and incidentally to gain their second away League victory of the season. Only some 5000 spectators so a game in which the finer touches of football were absent, yet the meeting provided a good, whole-hearted struggle which, if it was practically barren of science, did not suffer from lack of energy. The record of the two sides in the competition had not been dissimilar, but on the run of the game Aberdeen were much the superior team on this occasion, and well deserved the victory. A snowstorm, followed by a "fresh," and subsequently by frost, had made the ground hard but Creasy on the top, and that fact more than anything else accounted for the rugged nature of the football. In the earlier stages the Aberdeen defence worse sorely tried, but it displayed all the stubborn qualities which had elicited such praise against the Heart of Midlothian the previous week. And the Saint Mirren forwards showed better direction in the shooting in the earlier stages a different story might have been told, but as it was they were wretchedly weak in this department. Denholm had the first effort of the day, but sent wide, and Magner in good position also failed. A splendid chance for Saint Mirren was lost when Magner got in the way of a shot from Denholm that appeared likely to find the net. The weight of the Aberdeen half-backs tended the line to the bust tactics, and after they were penalised for what appeared to be quite fair charges, in which the lighter Saint Mirren men were grassed. The game was nearly 20 minutes old, and that had been an almost entire absence of anything like combined effort when Walker crashed in a fine shot to O'Hagan, who saved.

THE OPENING GOAL

Reid and Callaghan, the home backs, had a trying time with the rushes of Main, Low, and Walker. From one of these first read and then Callaghan failed to get the ball away, and Walker, getting possession, past nicely to Main. O'Hagan rushed out to tackle the Aberdeen centre, who very cleverly side-stepped and neatly placed the ball through the untenanted goal. Aberdeen played confidently after this, but yet the quality of the football did not improve. Walker and Travers both tested O'Hagan, and Greig had twice to rush out and punch away from Somersby's crosses. For a time it looked as if Saint Mirren would equalise, but their forwards bunched together too much, and Colman and Hannah by sound judgment easily kept them at bay. On one occasion Hannah checked Kyle in brilliant style when a goal seemed certain, but Aberdeen held their lead, and crossed over with a game apparently well in their keeping.

ABERDEEN ON TOP

The start of the second half saw Aberdeen shaping to increase their lead. Saint Mirren forwards were able to do little right against the Aberdeen defence, and lack of weight pulled badly against them. One of two half-hearted attempts were made to rush the ball past Greig, but he lacked nothing of the robustness of his Fellows in front, and rushed out and picked the ball up to kick clear from several dangerous scrimmages in front of his charge. Saint Mirren had Reid injured, and with him going outside right, Gray two half-back, and Macgregor to back, there was a general rearrangement of the home team. The changes seemed rather to weaken than improve the Saint Mirren, who were all out to keep the Aberdeen from increasing their lead. Walker had several well-directed shots which O'Hagan did well to hold. Reid raised enthusiasm by rushing along the line, but Greig saved Magner's attempt to score from the cross. With 15 minutes to go Aberdeen got another goal. Low receiving from Travers, executed a good run, and giving Main a ground ball, the centre-forward neatly eluded O'Hagan who had left his goal to tackle him, and score a goal exactly similar to that of the first half. From this time the issue was no longer in doubt. Saint Mirren badly lacked spirit, and Aberdeen had much the best of matters in the closing stages, and were more comfortable winners and the score in their favour suggests.

Source: Evening Express, 19th January 1914