Dunfermline Athletic 2 - 3 Aberdeen

About 2000 spectators were present at Dunfermline, where Aberdeen were the visitors and winners of a hard and interesting game by 3 goals to 2. Though Aberdeen won, they hardly deserved to do so on the day's play, as they were kept on the defensive for several periods of the dashing play of the Athletic, whose plucky rally after losing two soft goals in the first six minutes, and being three down at the interval, merited a division of the points at least. Play had barely started when Smith opened the scoring for Aberdeen, and in six minutes Bruce added a second after a shot by McLeod had rebounded from the crossbar. In twenty minutes McLeod put on a third goal, and, though the Athletic had the better of the exchanges until the interval, they failed to improve their position. J Dickson scored for the Athletic when the second half had been in progress for fifteen minutes, and Cameron reduce their deficit to one goal seven minutes from the end. The closing stages were desperately fought out at the Aberdeen end of the field, but the Athletic's plucky effort failed to earn its reward, and they retired losers of a splendid match.

Source: The Scotsman, 30th January 1928

The Dons returned to winning form at Dunfermline, where they beat the Athletic by the odd goal in five. The game was played under the most depressing conditions, but the Northerners gave a bright and sparkling display, a feature being the brilliance of the right wing pair, Cheyne and Love. The Aberdeen Reserves will have this week their stiffest home game in the Alliance against Motherwell "A" at Pittodrie. A win for the homesters will give them a lead of five points.

Had Aberdeen been at full strength during the whole game at Dunfermline I am convinced that they would have won by a much greater margin. To win by the odd goal in five, with practically only nine players, was quite a good performance on the part of the Dons.
It is true to say that the homesters put on a great fight in the second half, but it was only after Aberdeen's ranks had been weakened through injury that Dunfermline really looked like a team at all. In the first half the Fifers were completely outclassed, and the Dons might have been leading by six goals at the interval if they had accepted all their scoring chances.
It was Smith who opened the scoring for the Dons in the opening minutes, and when five minutes had gone "Bobby" Bruce had increased the lead. After fifteen minutes' play McLeod notched the third goal. The Dons could and ought to have continued scoring at this rapid rate, but they wated innumerable openings.

McLeod's Mishap

The second half had not been long in progress when McLeod met with a nasty injury, and he took no further part in the game. Then Livingstone strained a muscle and he went to outside left, but he might as well have been off the field. Aberdeen battled bravely with depleted forces, but even then they were not by any means outplayed. The defence, with Smith at left back, played heroically against the massed attacks by the opposition. There was desperation, but little studied method, in the work of the Dunfermline team. They got two goals through T. W. Dickson and Cameron, and, although they tried very hard to get the equaliser, Blackwell and those in front of him prevented them from doing so.
It is a recognised fact that, if a team is playing badly, the support is poor. No better proof of this could have been got than at Dunfermline on Saturday, where there were not more than 600 spectators, most of whom have already made up their minds that Dunfermline cannot by any means escape relegation.

Clever Right Wing

Taking the game all over, however, the one bright feature was the play of the Aberdeen right wing pair, Cheyne and Love. These two practically did as they liked, and even when McLeod was off and Livingstone was limping along the other wing, they continued to lead Wilson and Dand, both ex-Hearts players, a merry dance. The understanding between Cheyne and Love has greatly improved within recent weeks, and on Saturday the one knew what to expect from the other. Cheyne, however, was the finest player on view. On such a heavy ground his control was splendid, while he dribbled and passed the ball in delightful fashion. Love responded well to his partner, and, with a longer association together, I feel certain that, in these two players, Aberdeen will have one of the best wings in the League next season. Bruce was always a thorn in the flesh of the home defence, but I thought he could have scored two more goals in the first half. McLeod did well prior to his injury, while Smith showed pluck and enterprise as a back.
The half-backs were none too impressive at times, but the heavy going may have been responsible for their shortcomings. Dunfermline people will not forget McHale for a long time. Black was a splendid purveyor, while Ross did his part well. Jackson played a strong game at back, and he did not always come off second best in his duels with Stein, the best of the Dunfermline forwards.
The play of the Fife team was below the standard expected in the First League, and their form was certainly much inferior to that exhibited at Aberdeen in the earlier part of the season. Of course, Bob Skinner played in that game. He was an inspiring leader.

Source: Bon-Accord, 4th February 1928

Aberdeen accomplished quite a smart performance at Dunfermline, where they defeated the Athletic by 3 goals to 2. The victory of the Pittodrie team was all the more meritorious because they were handicapped by injuries in the second half when Livingstone took up the outside left position and Smith went to left back in the closing stages. McLeod also became a casualty, and had to retire, Aberdeen finishing with nine men.
Aberdeen were the better team, and at a comparatively early stage secured a lead of three goals. In the second half Dunfermline rallied but even handicapped as they were Aberdeen did not experience much difficulty in keeping ahead, although they had their lead reduced to one goal.
Aberdeen played confidently throughout, and a feature was the clever play of their right wing, on which Love and Cheyne carried out many clever movements. The half-backs, too, kept a good grip of the home forwards, and the rear defence was sound. There was not the same understanding and cohesion in the play of Dunfermline, although their left wing was seen to advantage on occasion.

AN EARLY LEAD.

Aberdeen scored In the first minute. Love carried the ball along, and from the right winger's centre Smith had a shot blocked by Young. The ball returned to the Aberdeen man, however, and he netted with a fast shot. Aberdeen almost increased their lead immediately. Cheyne just missing the goal after Love had centred, and Smith had returned the ball in front of goal. Further success was not long delayed, however, as only seven minutes had gone when Bruce met the ball as it rebounded from the crossbar after McLeod had shot, the centre-forward netting from close in. Two sallies by Stein interrupted the continuity of Aberdeen's attacks, but they again got going, and should have improved upon a pass by McLeod, but missed an open goal. Two runs and centres were negatived by McHale, and then Aberdeen got a third goal, McLeod following his own shot to meet a return by Young and crash the ball into the net from near the penalty spot. Only fine defensive play by Young and Wilson prevented Aberdeen from going further ahead. Towards the interval play became more even, and Blackwell was several times in action, but little of a dangerous nature reached him, and Aberdeen crossed over with a lead of 3-0 at halftime.

Handicapped by Injuries.

Consequent upon his having sustained an Injury, Livingstone changed places with Smith, when the game was resumed. Blackwell was early called upon to save from Stein, and later that player and T. W. Dickson had the Aberdeen goalkeeper in action. After clever play by Love, McLeod netted again for Aberdeen, but Bruce was adjudged to have been offside and the goal was discounted. After sixteen minutes Dunfermline got a goal, J. Dickson netting with a left foot drive after Stein had cut out the work. After this success Dunfermline improved, and subsequently the Aberdeen defence had a warm time. They recovered, however, and Cheyne had a great shot splendidly saved by Harris, and later the Aberdeen inside right just missed with a fierce drive. At this stage McLeod was injured, and had to retire. Wilson blocked a shot by Love and Blackwell saved a long effort the home left back. Even shorthanded Aberdeen were holding their own, but after Blackwell had saved from Clark he was well beaten by a drive from Cameron. In the concluding stages Dunfermline made strong efforts to draw level, but the Aberdeen defence held out.

Source: Press & Journal, 30th January 1928