Aberdeen 1 - 2 Queen of the South

Relegation is Creeping Nearer to Pittodrie

Eight Home Games Four Away Games - Only Three Wins - Only One Goal

last fortnight Aberdeen F.C. have added three players to their list, but none of them comes into the star category.
The Pittodrie club have given no hint that they intend to become a party to the present trend towards inflation in the matter of transfers.
Saturday's 2-1 home defeat from Queen of the South may cause them to alter their views.

In football, as in everything else, it is a case of the survival of the fittest, and Aberdeen's present position is a clear indication that the team, as at present constituted, is not fit for the job on hand.
Of the Dons' twelve league matches, eight have been at home, and they have failed to win five of them. In four matches away from Pittodrie they have scored but one goal and picked up but one point.
Relegation is not far away, and a continuance of the team's present form cannot be other than fatal.
All sorts of changes have been tried and found wanting. The one way out seems to be new players.

Slump Again

Against Queen of the South the Dons certainly put plenty of effort into their play, but they lacked method. They turned round a goal in front after facing the wind, and then came the second half slump.
One man who couldn't be blamed for the defeat was Willie Waddell. His display made Houliston look small fry as an international prospect. McKenna was the better back, Massie failing to provide the answer to some of the tricks produced by veteran Charlie Johnston.
The former Dunfermline and Rangers player was the best winger on view, and his partnership with Jenkins was full of menace to the home defence. The Aberdeen attack never got going as a line.
Kelly was no more successful against Aird than Houliston was against Waddell, but the home leader happened be on the spot in the thirty-sixth minute when Hamilton caused a flurry in the Dumfries defence. Kelly was unmarked when he slipped the ball past Henderson.

Solid Front

Henderson, James and Aird presented a solid front to Aberdeen's initial attacks in the second half, and after ten minutes the southern team levelled the scores. Johnston beat two men almost on the byeline and crossed to the far post for Houliston to head into the net.
Aberdeen's best attempts at taking the lead again came after the wingers had changed positions. Millar shot fiercely against a post, and later crossed for Williams to fire in a hard drive, which Henderson brilliantly pushed over the bar.
Five minutes from the end Houliston took a hand. He chased a ball down the right, and when he crossed, Jenkins was standing clear of opposition to head the ball well away from Johnstone for the winning goal.

Source: Press & Journal, 13th December 1948