The Orion were twenty minutes late in appearing, and the Vics having won the toss, Gloag kicked off towards the goal. The first piece of play was a raid on the home goal, but the ball was well sent down the field, and Edwards had to fist out. From the start, it was apparent that the sympathies of the crowd were all in favour of the home team, and a decision of the referee, in according a foul against the Stripes was loudly cheered. Within ten minutes of the start a corner fell to the Orion, and the ball being well sent in, Gloag drew first blood for his team. Pressing from the kick-off, the front rank of the Vics got well down the field, and, clearing all opposition, had the Orion goal at their mercy. Sutherland got the leather and with great sang froid neatly tipped it through just out of reach of Edwards, thus scoring the first goal for the Vics, and making the scores even. For a few minutes the game might be described as anyone's, both goals being visited in turn. Fouls were by no means infrequent, and for one of these glaring breaches of etiquette Fraser was smartly pulled up by the referee and heartily hissed by the spectators. From the kick the Orion made a descent on the Vics' goal, but Ririe saved grandly, and the ball being smartly returned Turner sent in a hot one, but without effect. Not to be denied, Turner again got on the leather, and passing over to Benzie, the latter scored number two for the Vics.
This success was much relished by their supporters, who were greatly in the majority. A siege of the Orion goal ended in Hickie from half-back sending home number three, and the ball was hardly well sent off again when another descent was made on the strangers' goal. For a time the United had all the best of the play with the exception of one or two occasions on which the Stripes managed to get down the field. Ririe, however, was always at hand, and quickly gave relief with some heavy kicking. Thomson on one occasion, when the Orion were looking dangerous, saved smartly, but from the return kick Baird sent in a long shot, which Gray tried to fist out, but failed. Flushed with this second success, the Orion made another determined onslaught on the Vics' goal, but the ball went behind. Within a few minutes the Orion again pressed, but the defence was too strong, and Macfarlane's attempt to score was abortive, the ball just grazing the outside of the post. Reversing this order of things, the Vics came away with a rush, and got well within distance of the Orion goal, but Edwards was quite equal to all the demands made upon him, and cleared his lines smartly. Low took the ball down to the Vics' goal-mouth and a scrimmage ensued, but Gray succeeded in keeping his charge intact. Shortly after, a foul was given against Ross, and from the kick a corner was conceded by Gray, but nothing resulted. Up to this point good play was at a discount. As a general rule the game was characterised by great roughness, fouls being quite the order of the day, and the state of the ground did not at all tend to the improvement of the appearance of the players. Just before half time a corner fell to the Orion. The ball was well placed, and after rolling about the goal mouth for a short time, Macfarlane got possession of the leather and put it through, thus placing the teams on an equal footing - three each. No further scoring took place in this period, which ended: Victoria United 3, Orion 3.

On changing ends, the Orion went off with a rush, but were quickly pulled up, and, reversing their tactics, the home team retaliated to some purpose, Their forwards went down at a fine rate, and after hustling about the goal for a time, Turner put the ball through for the fourth time. Still keeping up the pressure, the Vics compelled Edwards to clear his lines, and even then it was impossible for the Orion to get thoroughly clear of the enemy. The back defence, however, was too good for them, and they could not manage to score. Breaking away, Gloag and Forsyth went off in fine style, but Thomson was on the lookout and spoiled the effort. Then came the turn of the Vics, who had hard lines on one occasion in not scoring. Edwards fisted out to some purpose. For a time the game was fast, but there was not the slightest attempt at anything like scientific play. The ball travelled between the goals with great quickness till at last the Blues got down to the railway goal, which they would not leave until Sutherland, from a foul given against the Orion in the goal mouth, scored number five for the Vics. Within a few minutes of this success the Orion, goaded by the taunts of their opponents, and encouraged by the cheers of their friends, went off at lightning speed, and Macfarlane did the needful in scoring a fourth goal for the Orion, and in a few minutes a fifth was added by the same player, thus equalising the scores. This success was received with deafening cheers on the part of the Orion supporters, who were beginning to brighten up at the success which was at last rewarding the exertions of their favourites. The Stripes too began to play in something like their usual form, making the ball travel towards the Vics' goal with amazing rapidity. A siege was kept up on the home citadel for a long time, but Gray kept a grand goal, and rendered all attempts to score of no avail. All this time the enthusiasm of the Orion supporters was raised to the highest pitch, while, on the other side, the supporters of the Vics were correspondingly silent. At last the siege was raised, and the Vics, breaking away in fine style, made a swift descent on the Orion citadel. For a long time they compelled the backs of the visitors' team to play all they could to keep the goal safe, and this they managed to do. A corner, however, had to be conceded to the Vics, and, after a scrimmage, the ball, kicked by Benzie, rolled slowly through the goal. This success seemed to put additional life into the play of the Vics, who fairly swarmed round the Orion goal, despite the herculean efforts of the visitors' defence. On several occasions the ball was within an ace of going between the posts, but luck was on the side of the visitors, and the home eleven could not score, work as they would. Again breaking away the Orion got within shooting distance of the Vics', goal when Stewart got winded, and the game was stopped for a few minutes. Thereafter the homesters had a look in at the Orion goal, although without result; but the next minute Annand did the needful in scoring the seventh goal for the Vics amid great enthusiasm. There was no further scoring, and the game ended in semi-darkness, with the scores: Victoria United 7, Orion 5.

Source: Aberdeen Journal, 19th December 1892

SHORT KICKS.

Frae a' the Airts.

Source: Bon-Accord: 24th December 1892