The crowd, reported as 12,000 in one paper but 17,000 in another, enjoyed a thrilling match and were uplifted by the Aberdeen performance, many saying that they had seen the best football from the Dons in a couple of years. Leggat scored with a header from a Glen cross after King had put the visitors in front. After only 15 minutes of play the score went in Aberdeen's favour when Glen banged home a penalty kick and after half an hour the same player made it 3-1 with a fierce 20-yarder. King pulled one back for Stoke but Billy Smith scored from a Leggat cross from the bye-line. Oscroft pulled it back to 4-3 and near the end a penalty conceded by Mitchell (only a few days after conceding three at Celtic Park in a league match) was scored by Mountford.

Source: Alan Esslemont scrapbook 1953-54