Aberdeen 3 - 3 Hamilton

ROUSING FINISH AT PITTODRIE.

Weakened Dons Retrieve Desperate Position.

Aberdeen, 1; Hamilton Accies, 3 - thus read the score at Pittodrie ten minutes after the start of the second half. Warnock had been carried to the pavilion thirty minutes after the start of the game; Falloon had gone to outside-left; and the forward and half-back lines had been rearranged after the Accies third goal. Defeat for the Dons seemed certain.

Colour was lent to this Idea when the Douglas Parkers commenced to push home their advantage and the Aberdeen team became rattled.
There is little doubt that the loss of and the injury to Falloon had a demoralising effect on the Dons. They weathered the storm, however, and says much for their pluck and fighting spirit that they turned a two goals deficit Into a draw.

Transformed Team.

With twenty minutes left for play Aberdeen became a team transformed. Encouraged by a cheering crowd they rolled up their sleeves and tore into the opposition. With ten minutes to go the Dons were on level terms, and Hamilton had to fight strongly to keep them from snatching the winning goal.
When at full strength the Dons played well, and with twenty-two minutes gone they took the lead. A long accurate forward pass by Mills saw Armstrong quickly slip the ball to Ritchie Smith, and the left winger's shot entered the net between the post and the 'keeper with little to spare.

Chances Missed.

Following this, both Armstrong and Benyon missed scoring chances. Clever ball control and footwork by Mills left Armstrong in good position, but the centre drove past. Then a clever interchanging of positions by Armstrong and Ritchie Smith saw Beynon square instead of carrying the ball in towards the goal.
Just on the interval Accies drew level. A hefty clearance during a hot Aberdeen attack left Wilson in possession with nobody but Falloon between him and the Aberdeen goal. The centre-half tackled, but fell on his back, lost possession, and the Hamilton leader ran on to beat Smith with a last drive.
With eight minutes of the second half gone Wilson scooped a loose ball into the net from twenty yards, and two minutes later the Douglas Park leader completed his hat-trick when he outwitted Cooper and McGill and lofted the ball into the net over the advancing Smith's head.
Twenty-seven minutes after the start of the second half came Aberdeen's second goal. Thomson cutely sent a free kick to Beynon, and the winger slipped the ball back for Fraser to drive it into the net through a crowd of players.

Tonic Effect.

This goal acted like a tonic on the Dons, and with about ten minutes to go Beynon broke through on the right and centred adroitly for Armstrong to bring the ball under control and send past Shevlin.
Smith in the Aberdeen goal might have averted the third counter had he stayed in his charge, but the keeper had several smart saves to his credit. Cooper was the more confident back, McGill failing to check the speedy King till late in the game.
In the early stages of the match Falloon did heroic work in defence, but just prior to his injury lost his grip of Wilson. Both Fraser and Thomson, the wing halves, were seen to advantage.
Thomson was one of the most virile and effective defenders afield, and when he deputised for Falloon at centre-half he succeeded in checking Wilson.
After a quiet opening, Fraser settled down to a fine forcing game. He was the instigator of a number of Aberdeen's attacking movements.

Mills the Schemer.,/p> Upset by injuries, the Pittodrie attack fought desperately in the second half. The schemer of the line was Mills, his dribbling and distribution being of a high standard.
Smith, his partner, was as lively as a cricket. He was here, there and everywhere, and although much of his effort was wasted, one could not but admire his pluck and perseverance.
Beynon was a fast and dangerous right winger and caused the Accies defence many anxious moments. He had a hand in two of his side's goals. Armstrong was a tireless and hard working leader, and considering he was opposed to an old campaigner in McStay, gave quite a creditable display.
In Shevlin, Hamilton possess a sound 'keeper, and although they were shaky during the first twenty minutes when Aberdeen were going well, Wallace and Bulloch, the backs, lent him much valuable assistance.

Crafty Pivot.,/p> McStay was a crafty centre-half, and both Cox and Thomson, the wing halves, showed smart touches.
The attack was well-balanced and dangerous. The extreme wingers, King and Reid, were fast and difficult to stop, while Harrison and McLaren, although clever, were not so effective as against the Dons at Hamilton on September 12.
The star of the line was Wilson. He was a dashing and dangrerous leader, and it is to his credit that he did the major part of the work in connection with his goals himself.

Source: Press & Journal, 17th December 1934