Aberdeen 2 - 1 Clyde

Aberdeen Reserves just managed to win their game with Clyde at Pittodrie in a Scottish Alliance match. The winning goal was scored on the call of time, the referee blowing the final signal before the ball could be kicked off. There was nothing to enthuse over. Until the last ten minutes, during which period Clyde equalised and Aberdeen took the lead, there was no excitement whatever, and the game was perhaps the poorest provided by the "A" team at Pittodrie this season. The Reserves thoroughly deserved their win, and on play ought to have had a crop goals. So uninteresting was the game that a large number of the spectators left long before the finish. Ten minutes from the end Aberdeen led by one nil, and the issue looked fairly safe for them when Clyde 'A" equalised. It seemed as if the affair would end in a draw, but by sheer determination the locals got the winning goal through Macdonald, who, a minute before, missed open goal. The Reserves had two new men on view, this no doubt was the cause to some extent for the attendance of 7000 odd spectators. The game was disappointing. Many more goals should have been scored, but perhaps the boisterous wind was responsible for this. The players had difficulty in controlling the ball, but with and against the breeze Aberdeen had the best of matters, and the spectators who waited until the end had their patience rewarded by about ten minutes of real excitement.

Critical Comments.

The two new players who appeared for Aberdeen were J. Buchanan, Broxburn United, centre forward, and Arthur Taylor, St Johnstone, at left back. The latter, although lacking somewhat in size, gave a good display. His tackling and placing were favourably commented on. The centre-forward did not impress to the same extent. Although he distributed play fairly well, he appeared be somewhat slow. He scored Aberdeen's first goal with a "header" off a well-timed cross by Wilson. A feature of the game was the shooting of MacLachlan. Many of his shots deserved a better fate, and it was only the goalkeeper's smart clearances that kept the ball out. Aberdeen led at the interval by one goal, Quinn, a centre-forward, equalised, and then Macdonald got the winning goal. Sutherland gave a nice display. Hutton and Taylor were safe at back, but a misunderstanding between them led to Quinn getting through. As usual, Lees at centre-half was the outstanding half-back on the field. Aberdeen's centreline dominated the game, and all played well. Fisher and Macdonald were the most prominent forwards, but Wilson was often in the picture. Ballantyne kept a good goal for Clyde. The backs were reliable, but the halves were not nearly so strong as Aberdeen's. The forwards were well held, and never got properly settled down.

Source: Aberdeen Daily Journal 1st November 1920