Aberdeen 2 - 2 East Fife

ABERDEEN came within an ace of being beaten at home for the first time in the present League series by East Fife at Pittodrie. The Dons were a bad team. There was understanding in their ranks. The defence was none too reliable. The half-backs were poor, and the attack never settled. Frankly, there were too many misfits in the eleven.

Performances such as this will not win the League championship. East Fife, on the other hand, were not a great football side, but they were an enthusiastic combination, a team of workers all the time. If Adamson had accepted two grand scoring chances early in the game, in all probability the Fifers would have won, and no one would have grudged them their victory.
It was a bad blunder on the part of Dunlop near the close of the first half which gave East Fife their first goal through McDonald, and the defence was again at fault when the same player equalised after the interval.
Aberdeen got their goals through Lloyd and Pattillo.
Johnstone in the Aberdeen goal could not be blamed for the loss of two points. Cooper had a poor game. McKenna came back to form, but not one of the three half-backs impressed. Lloyd was the Dons' best forward, and Pattillo came next, although he was poorly supported.
Miller lacked support, and Baird was only moderately good.
The Fifers will take a deal of beating. Their best men were McKee, Stewart, Sneddon, Adams, Brown and McDonald.
The Dons are now in second place, with Rangers leading by a point. Dundee are in third place two points behind the Dons, and East Fife are now fourth on the table.

Source: Press & Journal, 2nd April 1945