29/11/1947
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Morton |
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0 - 1 |
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Aberdeen |
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| Kick Off:
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Hamilton 75. |
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| Attendance: 9,500
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| Venue: Cappielow Park, Greenock |
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| Dons Dispute Penalty: Then Morton Miss |
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Johnstone and Cowie Were Outstanding
THE referee was lost in an avalanche of red jerseys. He was completely surrounded by Aberdeen players ten minutes from the end at Greenock.
Never have I seen a Pittodrie team make a stronger or more vigorous appeal than they did wnen the official in charge, A. B. Gebbie, awarded a penalty.
Five minutes earlier Hamilton had scored for the Dons when a goalless draw seemed inevitable.
Then came the dramatic penalty incident. White, the left half, had broken through the Aberdeen defence. He was in the process of picking his spot in the net.
Came Willie Waddell in hot pursuit. He made a sliding tackle from the side, hooked the ball away, and both players finished on the ground in a heap. The referee pointed to the penalty spot, but so insistent were the Pittodrie players that he consulted one of the linesmen. His decision remained unchanged.
Tragedy for Morton
My own opinion is that Waddell played the ball. Anyhow Gillies, the Morton left-winger, sent past from the spot kick.
The game was something of a tragedy for the Greenock team. The winning goal, for instance, was the result of a defensive blunder.
Taylor and Harris worked the ball upfield and Williams, in attempting to bring Millar into the movement, sent against Fyfe, the left back. It seemed as if the Morton defender changed his mind. He made as if to clear, then tried beat Hamilton and lost possession. The Dons' inside right seized his chance and beat Cowan with a low shot.
Ask a Greenock man and he will probably tell you his team was unlucky. Ask an Aberdeen player or official if McCall's goal just on the interval was a good one and you will be answered with an emphatic "Yes."
It was chalked off for offside. Hamilton hooked the ball over from the right and McCall moved in from the wing to crash into the net. The referee awarded a goal. One of the linesmen had signalled offside, and Mr Gebbie, after a consultation with this official, signed "No goal."
It wasn't because Aberdeen were particularly brilliant that Morton lost. The defeat was due to the ineptitude of their own forwards.
In the first half they could do everything but score. Morton were undoubtedly the better team this half.
Treacherous Surface
The Dons were never happy in the first half. They took too long to adapt themselves to the treacherous surface.
While Liddell and his front line team-mates were guilty of rank bad finishing in the opening half, two Pittodrie players battled courageously to thwart their efforts.
Aberdeen's defensive heroes were George Johnstone and Andy Cowie. The 'keeper was in invincible mood and Cowie's consistently sound tackling and kicking provided one of the features of the match.
The points are of inestimable value to the Dons. Results are the things that count, and Aberdeen succeeded in this respect.
They were by no means the Dons at their best. They can still show a big improvement. At the same time the victories over Queen's Park and Morton should do much to restore confidence and rid the players of the anxiety complex that has been apparent in their play in the last two months.
Source: Press & Journal, 29th November 1947
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Morton Teamsheet:
Cowan, Mitchell, Fyfe, Campbell, Millar, Whyte, Henderson, Orr, Liddell, Divers, Gillies
Bookings: |
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Aberdeen Teamsheet:
Johnstone, Cowie, McKenna, Waddell, Dunlop, Taylor, Millar, Hamilton, Williams, Harris, McCall.
Unused Subs:
Bookings: |
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| Referee: |
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A. B. Gebbie |
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