Aberdeen 3 - 4 Dumbarton

Dumbarton came out victors by the odd goal against Aberdeen at Aberdeen. A crowd of over 10,000 saw a strenuous game, marked by the home forwards forcing the play at the start and securing a two goals' lead through Connon, centre-forward, and Wylie, inside right. Before half-time, however, the teams were on an equality, McDermid heading in from a corner kick, and Gordon repeating the performance three minutes later from a smart pass by Thom. Six minutes after the resumption McDermid again gave Dumbarton the lead, but it was not long before McLaughlin had equalised for Aberdeen. Then came the testing time for Aberdeen's half-back line, which was without McLachlan, and which throughout was the weakest part of the team. Dumbarton's winning goal came from centre forward Walker twelve minutes before the close.

Source: The Scotsman, 26th April 1920

At Pittodrie Aberdeen and Dumbarton supplied another instance of tradition in football when the "Sons of the Rock," who have never yet lost on the ground, took away the points in a game which went in their favour by 4 goals 3. It was a game in which, on the run play, Aberdeen ought, to have won, and have won with comparative ease, but for once the defence, and the backs in particular, were found unequal to the occasion, and eleven thousand of the ever-faithful saw the points thrown away after the match appeared to have been well won by Aberdeen in the early stages. Throughout it was a lively game which served up some very exciting passages, especially in front of the Dumbarton goal, but, let it be said, the occasions upon which Dumbarton scored were about the most unexciting of the game, and there was not one their four goals but might have been saved had a little more savvy been shown by the home defence. The opening goal came after seven minutes, when Archibald crossed accurately to Connon, who beat Millar all ends up with a left foot drive. Only other six minutes had gone when, from another cross by Archibald, W. Wylie had Millar again picking the ball from the net. Although Dumbarton were frequently dangerous, the play generally ruled in favour of Aberdeen until at the end of half an hour a sudden change came over the game. Gordon, the visitors? outside-right, raced along the touch-line, and from his cross Hannah conceded a corner. From the flag-kick the ball went to McDiarmid, who, with a simple header, reduced the leeway with a ball which might have been headed clear by one the home defence. The equaliser came almost immediately. Wright, in attempting a feint, was dispossessed by Bennett, who allowed Thom to get over an accurate centre for Gordon to score with simple-looking head effort.

All square at the turn, Aberdeen resumed strongly, but were soon beaten back by O'Connell and Walker, getting off, had a hard drive, from which the ball struck the Aberdeen goalkeeper's chest, and before the custodian could regain possession. McDiarmid had followed up to send into the net. A deft pass by Connon let Archibald away on the home left, and he centred finely for Yule to return, and McLaughlin obtained the equaliser with a well-judged shot. Following upon this, the Aberdeen attack brightened up, and the visiting goalkeeper excelled with brilliant saves from McLaughlin, Connon, Wylie, and Wright. Fifteen minutes from the end Dumbarton lost the services of O?Connell, their Irish Internationalist centre-half, but, they defended well and never lost an opportunity to make ground. When it seemed odds on the home team taking the lead, Walker, the Dumbarton centre-forward, raced off from a clearance, and, beating Hume on the run, crashed the ball into the net past Anderson, who made a futile effort to intercept him. It was not at all an uninteresting game, and Dumbarton were rather fortunate to take away the points, but certainly made the most of the opportunities afforded by the weakness of the Aberdeen defence.

Source: Aberdeen Daily Journal, 26th April 1920