Celtic 3 - 1 Aberdeen

It was not a great game at Celtic Park, Glasgow, where Celtic beat Aberdeen. With the wind assisting them in the first half, the Celtic were early on the attack, and Gallacher, who was taking McLean's place at outside left, was early in evidence with some clever play. Five minutes after the start fine work by Connelly led to Fleming putting his side on the lead with a shot that gave Blackwell no chance. Thereafter Aberdeen were seen to better advantage, but the forwards lacked the finishing power of the opposing attack, and Shevlin was never in danger of being beaten. Near the interval the Celtic again asserted themselves, and after Blackwell had partially cleared from Fleming, Gallagher scored a second goal. Aberdeen did better after the interval, the forwards putting more dash into their play, and the Celtic defenders were fully stretched. A. Jackson finished off some good work by forcing Shevlin to concede a corner, and a few minutes later the goalkeeper had again to put the ball behind in dealing with a try from Grant. Near the finish W. McStay, in attempting to clear from Grant, put the ball through his own goal, but shortly afterwards Fleming intercepted a pass back from Bruce and restored Celtic's two-goal lead. The attendance was about 6000.

Source: The Scotsman, 11th January 1925

Aberdeen suffered their twelfth defeat of the season. Celtic beating them at Celtic Park by 3 goals to 1. Although the losers attacked quite as much as the winners, Celtic were much more methodical, and although neither excelled in accepting opportunities, Celtic were always more dangerous. The game attracted only 6000 spectators, a fact that suggests that the popularity of Celtic in Glasgow is not what it used to be. Aberdeen had a rearranged forward line, but the changes could not be said to have made for improvement. The team put up a good defence. Blackwell, in goal, played well, and was quite blameless for the goals. Hutton gave a fine display at right back. In the first half he was often troubled by Gallacher, who in the period occupied the role of outside left for Celtic, but in the second half developed into the best back on the field. D. Bruce also performed very creditably, tackling well and showing coolness and resource when pressed. He made a mistake in being short with a pass back that led to Celtic obtaining their third goal, but apart from that his play was without blemish. James Jackson was easily the best of the Aberdeen half-backs, the play of the wing pair, Edward and MacLachlan falling short of their usual. Edward sustained an injury to his groin and went to outside right in the course of the second half. The Aberdeen forwards did not shine, the inside players keeping the play too close, although each, especially A. Jackson and R. Bruce, showed clever individual touches. Both missed comparatively easy chances of scoring, and although Bruce shot well at times, it was lack of attention to this department that accounted for pressure going unrewarded. Walter Jackson was never very prominent at centre-forward, but Smith and Grant performed creditably on the extreme wings.
Celtic's play was not at all convincing, but there was more method and a better and a better understanding in their ranks. Shevlin had little of a serious nature to deal with, and the backs, W. McStey and Hilley, were not at all reliable indeed, the Aberdeen pair were far ahead of them. At half-back, Macfarlane easily carried off the honours. McGorgan, a newcomer, at centre-half gave a promising display, but marred his work by perpetrating fouls. Gallacher and Wilson were the pick of the forwards, but the line was not one that inspired confidence.

EARLY LEAD FOR CELTIC.

Blackwell was early called upon to fist away from Gallacher, and went ahead in four minutes when Fleming accepted a pass from Connelly and scored from close range. Gallacher fitted in well at outside left, and Blackwell had again to fist away from the winger. Grant and W. Jackson relieved for Aberdeen, and, following a combined run, W. Jackson shot over. The visitors' right again attacked, and, when Grant lobbed the tail over, Bruce should have scored, but instead sent wide. Wilson for Celtic had a fine individual thrust, and, after working close in, was about to shoot when Blackwell dashed out and kicked away from him. Good leading-up play by Jackson resulted in Smith forcing a corner for Aberdeen, but W. McStey headed clear. At the other end, Blackwell ran out and stopped Connelly at the expense of a comer, following which the goalkeeper saved from McGrogan's head. Following this, the Aberdeen attack was prominent, but the inside trio played closely, and robust tackling from the Celtic defence nullified their efforts. Hilley, in passing back, conceded a corner, but McGrogan cleared, and later, Shevlin saved a long shot by James Jackson. Gallacher again put Celtic on the offensive, and Blackwell had to save at close range after the winger had cut in. Again Aberdeen took up the attack, and R. Bruce shot wide after clever manoeuvring by A. Jackson. Subsequently, the Aberdeen wingers both got over centres, but these were headed away, and Smith and Grant each shot wide after cutting in. Celtic got a second goal after 25 minutes' play. Following a free kick taken by McFarlane, Thomson hooked the ball over his head against Blackwell's chest, and it rebounded to Gallacher, who netted easily. At the other end Shevlin ran out and kicked away from W. Jackson after the forward had beaten W. McStey, and Grant, cutting in, sent narrowly past from scoring position. Towards the interval the play favoured Celtic, and Hutton, Bruce, and J. Jackson defended so strongly for Aberdeen that, apart from another overhead try by Thomson, Blackwell was not in further trouble.

TWO BELATED GOALS

Aberdeen attacked on resuming, and following a foul on W. Jackson by McGrogan, W. McStey blocked the Aberdeen centre-forward's free kick when a goal looked imminent. A. Jackson next dribbled half the length of the field, but delayed his shot, and W. MsStey cleared. At this stage, Aberdeen were pressing home a vigorous offensive. Smith centred and a hard drive by R. Bruce was blocked by Hilley. Occasional bursts by Gallacher were repulsed by Hutton, and at this stage Aberdeen were the better team. Shevlin, at full length, managed to push away a ball from W. Jackson, and a tussle followed between the Celtic keeper and A. Jackson on the goal-line, but the ball was got away. An injury to Wilson at this time caused he and Gallagher to change places in the Celtic attack, and shortly afterwards Grant and Edward exchanged positions on the Aberdeen side. The game again took a turn in favour of Celtic, and Connelly, Fleming, and Thomson tested Blackwell in quick succession. In another Aberdeen attack, Shevlin lost the ball, but recovered before W. Jackson could take advantage, and shortly afterwards the Aberdeen leader sent over with a good shot. An effort by Connelly at the other end was stopped by Blackwell shooting out his foot. The ball went into the air, and as it descended the goalkeeper fisted clear. Shevlin at the other end had to deal with shots from R. Bruce and Smith, and following a centre by the latter, A. Jackson shot over from close range when he ought to have scored. Aberdeen maintained a futile pressure until Gallagher got away on a bewildering run which finished up with his hard drive being finely saved by Blackwell. Eight minutes from the close, Edward lifted over a centre for Aberdeen, and W. McStey very clumsily deflected the ball past his own goalkeeper. Subsequent to this success Aberdeen attacked with renewed energy, but they did not test Shevlin again, and with minutes left for play they conceded a third goal. D. Bruce misjudged a pass back, and in a race for the ball Fleming just beat Blackwell and touched into the net, the ball rolling slowly over the line into an empty goal.

Source: Press & Journal, 12th January 1925