Aberdeen 0 - 0 Dundee

Dour and determined was the struggle between Aberdeen and Dundee at Pittodrie Park, witnessed by a holiday crowd of 20,000, and the result was a division of the points because of a goalless draw. In both periods Aberdeen had the better of the exchanges, and accounted for the greater share of the attacking. A smart player was needed to seize the numerous chances to have the ball forced into the net past Gibbon. As it was nothing came of the strong pressure.

Source: The Scotsman, 3rd January 1921

The second Northern Derby for the season has come and gone, and the bulk of the twenty thousand spectators at Pittodrie on Saturday would agree that Dundee were fortunate to share in a goal-less draw with Aberdeen. The game lacked none of the traditional strenuousness associated with meetings between the two clubs, and if there was an abundance of fouls, some of them rather obvious, and the robust element was much in evidence, this was, to a certain extent, excusable in the heat a hotly-contested game, but all the same, while healthy rivalry should be encouraged, tactics which besmirch the name of the game should be cut out. There was a good deal of the undesirable element on Saturday, and while slight injuries to players were fairly frequent, the wonder is that none was seriously hurt. A hard, dour, grim, and even stern encounter, in which robustness and hard knocks were the order, it was too keen and fast, for the play to reach a high standard, and the spoiling tactics adopted by both defences rather tended to upset the balance of things. On the day's play, Aberdeen were a better team than, Dundee, but their defects were just sufficient to once again make victory elude their grasp after having deserved it. Although there were periods when the exchanges were fairly even, and when each end was visited in turn, Aberdeen generally held the upper hand, and accounted for about two thirds of the pressure. The robustness of the Dundee defence saved their goal. It cannot be said that under pressure any one of their number excelled in resourcefulness, but their smashing, clear-at-any-price tackling and kicking proved equal to keeping Aberdeen out. In the game Aberdeen saw as much daylight through the Dundee defence as in any match this season, but even if there were a number of good efforts sent_ Gibbon-wards, there was an absence of shooting ability and a lack of accuracy and steadying power near goal that proved a big factor in the issue for a draw. The presence of an opportunist would not have made Aberdeen a perfect team, but it would have won the match.

Aberdeen's Weak Finishing.

Dundee were not at all a formidable combination, and the danger threatened to the home goal did not materialise from the expected sources, so well did the Aberdeen defence do its work. The Dark Blues' wing men although getting ample opportunity to shine, made little of the chances they got, and in the inside positions there was a lack of the subtle brain required to make the openings for a centre forward whose record testifies to his goal-getting abilities. On the home side there was much crafty work by the forwards, and especially by the right wing, but the line was not too well balanced, and at times their physical efforts excelled their braininess. Thus the detects of both teams were in the attack, but Dundee were not so strong at half-back as Aberdeen were, and their backs muddled through what often looked a hopeless task. That the Dundee defence was not pierced was largely due to their ability to cover up. Their half-backs had the difficulties of their task increased by the failure of their forwards to reciprocate the efforts at constructive work of their wing halves?l say wing halves, because while Nicol was a great power in defence, his parting efforts put both teams on equal terms in the race for possession. In each of their last three games Aberdeen have accounted for the bulk the pressure, and yet they have had to be content successively with a draw, a defeat, and a draw. The cause is obvious. They lack someone who can combine the "art" of goalscoring with aptitude in leading the attack. The outstanding players in Saturday's match were Forsyth, A. R. Grosert, MacLachlan, Thomson, and Middleton for Aberdeen, and Gibbon, Thomson, Nicol, Irving, and McLean for Dundee.

Play in Brief.

In the first half, as in the second, Aberdeen did most of the attacking. The game opened as it finished?fast, but it took some time before communication was established with either goalkeeper, and several shots had gone wide before Gibbon saved from Thomson, and later Connon just missed with a great shot on the run, and Dundee keeper knocked down a drive from Thomson. At the other end Bell gave Honeyman an opportunity, but the winger failed to gather. There was a melee in front of the Dundee goal, and after Gibbon had fisted clear, Connon drove over, and this was followed by a narrow escape for the Dundee goal when Flanaghan just missed with a surprise shot. Bell worked through the Aberdeen defence, but his parting shot was wide, and Anderson was only called into action after half an hour's play, when he fisted away from Troupe. Connon on one occasion dribbled through to a scoring position, but with his final effort completely missed his kick. Just on the interval Aberdeen got the ball in the net after Flanaghan had a shot blocked below the bar, but the goal was struck off on account of some infringement.

Sturdy Dundee Defence.

The Dundee attack was more in evidence in the opening period of the second half, when Troupe shot wide from a good position and Bell had several shots charged down. Rankine was nearly through for Aberdeen, but Thomson saved at the cost of a corner. Ultimately Aberdeen set up a sustained pressure on the Dundee goal, and corner after corner fell to their lot without result, Raitt, Thomson, and Gibbon doing great work in the visiting defence. The keeper fisted away from Middleton, and had a brilliant close-range save from Thomson, and many efforts were blocked during scrimmages in front of the Dundee goal. From a break-away McDonald just missed the mark for Dundee. Towards the close Aberdeen redoubled their efforts to score, and Gibbon had magnificent saves from Flanaghan and Thomson.

Big Attendance.

Judging by the attendace, it is evident that the early kick-off suited the majority. Fully 20,000 paid for admission to the ground, and with season tickets and others there would have been over 21,000 looking on.

Source: Aberdeen Daily Journal 3rd January 1921