Rangers 3 - 2 Aberdeen

The Rangers had rather a lucky escape from losing a point to Aberdeen at Ibrox. The visitors played with surprising cleverness, and in defence especially were quite as good as their opponents. Seven minutes after the start McLaughlin rounded off smart Aberdeen forward play by scoring with a header. It was close at the interval before the Rangers managed to equalise through Cunningham. Early in the second half Reid put the Rangers on the lead, but McDonald once more brought Aberdeen level with a brilliant effort. A draw seemed certain until a minute from the finish, when Reid gave the Rangers the winning goal. Attendance 11,000.

Source: The Scotsman, 25th August 1919

With 90 seconds of the game to go, Rangers obtained the goal which enabled them to beat Aberdeen at Ibrox Park, Glasgow, by 3 goals to 2. There were 22,000 spectators, and the game throughout was marked by many exciting passages of play. On the whole, Aberdeen were distinctly unfortunate to lose both points, halves, apart altogether from the period at which the winning goal was obtained, on the run of play, and on the superb work of their defence, they fully merited to finish on equal terms. With the breeze in their favour, Aberdeen forced the pace, and from a free kick, Wright cause Lock to tip over the bar for a fruitless corner, Brewster heading behind. Rangers soon attacked, and Hume block a drive from Rangers' Archibald, and Hannah and Brewster successfully nipped in when Muirhead and Reid looked like getting through. In a determined Aberdeen attack, Lock had to go to the assistance of his backs. At the end of 14 minutes, Manderson, under pressure, gave away a corner, which Archibald placed beautifully for McLaughlin to head into the net, giving Lock no chance. Against the powerful Aberdeen defence, the crack Rangers' forwards made little headway, and although Muirhead and Reid repeatedly got away from lovely passes by Cunningham, the Rangers outside left was only equal to sending behind, and their centre-forward was too well watched to make progress. Aberdeen made use of every opportunity to make ground, and Robertson just missed with a good shot, while Hannah tested Lock from midfield. Cunningham was the only Rangers' forward who appeared capable of getting through the Pittodrie defence. About 5 minutes from the interval he broke away, and scored with a grand shot that glanced into the net off the upright. Aberdeen nearly took the lead again, Wyllie slipped nicely into the centre, and Macdonald on the run had a terrific shot that went inches high, and Lock well beaten. At the interval the teams were equal with one goal each.

Exciting Second Half

Aberdeen played confidently on resuming, and had three corners, from which nothing accrued. Dixson to relieve pressure almost beat Lock with a pass back, the goalkeeper having to throw himself full stretch at the ball. Macdonald on one occasion broke clean through, but in a melee Lock cleared. Gordon had a terrific drive which just missed, and Anderson, running out to the penalty line, cleared with Reid breaking through. After 15 minutes Muirhead sent the ball across the Aberdeen goal, and Anderson failed to gather, and knocked it down to the foot of Reid, who promptly found the net. Subsequent to this the game developed into a duel between the Rangers' forwards and the Aberdeen defence, with the backs winning the honours. Ten minutes from the end Aberdeen equalised with the best goal of the match. McLaughlin dispossessing Bowie tricked two opponents, and then sent the ball along the ground well beyond and between the Rangers' backs, and Macdonald, racing in, scored with a terrific shot. The closing stages were fast, and Rangers crowded on all sail, but it seemed the Aberdeen defence would hold out. With a minute and a half to go Archibald tricked Hume, and cut his way into goal, and parting to Reid, who appeared to be offside, that player put into the net amidst a scene of great excitement. The ball had just been centred and again set in motion when time was called.

Source: Aberdeen Daily Journal, 25th August 1919