Aberdeen 1 - 1 Falkirk

Aberdeen had fully the better of the match at Pittodrie, where Falkirk played pluckily for their draw, and did well to prevent the home team getting more than the one goal, the more especially as Kane had to retire injured during the last fifteen minutes of the game after his collision with Hutton. The 12,000 spectators, expecting Aberdeen's persistent pressure in the opening stages to result in some scoring, were disappointed at the hard luck which seemed to dog them at close quarters. Kane's goal, obtained through fine co-operation with McDougall, divided the teams at the interval, but play had only been a minute restarted when the equaliser came from Fisher. Thereafter it was the defenders from Brockville who shone. Ferguson, in goal was brilliant, not only when he kept out a penalty kick, but throughout, when time and again he saved the most likely shots from getting into the net. He was well supported by Scott and Townsley, and Goudie and Moore were also outstanding. Aberdeen were best served by Hutton, Hannah, MacLachlan, and Middleton.

Source: The Scotsman, 17th January 1921

At Pittodrie, Aberdeen were only equal to dividing the points with Falkirk, each side scoring once. There were about 11,000 spectators, and these saw, on the part of Aberdeen, a repetition the circumstances in the three previous games, when the home men accounted for the bulk of the pressure only to be denied victory by the fecklessness of their own attack at close quarters. It is no exaggeration to say that a 3-1 victory for Aberdeen would very truly have represented their superiority on this occasion, and even allowing that they were dogged by bad luck, and that Ferguson, the Brockville goalkeeper, executed some wonderful saves, including a penalty kick, it was their weak finishing that accounted for their failure.

The Opening Goal.

Aberdeen flattered to deceive at the outset, when, aided by a breeze, they confined Falkirk to their own territory and several times came within an ace of scoring. Fisher's long pass enabled Middleton to cross for a corner to result, and from the flag-kick, Ferguson held from Fisher. Aberdeen infused plenty of dash into their work, and following upon this, a mistake by Hunter allowed Fisher to get through, but with the goal at his mercy he shot into Ferguson's hands. Following a free kick against Grosert, Falkirk forced a corner, and from it Anderson had to clear from Townsley's head. Aberdeen were soon back again at Ferguson's end, and even Hutton joined in the shooting. The Falkirk goal at this stage experienced a number narrow escapes, and it was purely chance that got a defender's leg in front of a scoring-like shot by Thomson, and on several occasions Ferguson showed clever evasive work when the Aberdeen forwards attempted to rush him through his goal. The Falkirk forwards were seldom dangerous, but when on the run they moved with speed and nippiness that disconcerted the home defence. Anderson was glad to turn a free kick round the post from Moore, and from the flag kick Hannah's head popped up opportunely when a ball from Glaney, looked like going through. After seventeen minutes, Falkirk took the lead. The movement originated from Hunter at left back, and the ball was slung over to the right. McDougall carried it some distance, and then centred. First Gowdy and then Kane got possession, and with the home defenders hesitating to tackle, the inside left gave Anderson no chance to save his shot. Had Gowdy been more nippy be might have increased his side's lead immediately afterwards, and on another occasion it only an offside infringement that saved the home goal.

Penalty Kick Saved.

Aberdeen subsequently made great efforts to get level, but likely chances were lost through muddling at close quarters. On several occasions the inside men, when well placed for shooting, preferred to pass to a colleague not always advantageously situated. Ferguson held Fisher's attempt to head through from Middleton's cross, and subsequently the goalkeeper had a brilliant save from a terrific shot by the home outside right. In the subsequent play leading to the interval, Ferguson was the outstanding player on the field, and it was his brilliant work round about this time that really saved his side from defeat. Repeatedly he cleared his lines when beset by opponents. The Aberdeen were awarded a penalty for Waugh handling. MacLachlan took the kick, but although placing it well and driving hard, failed to count, Ferguson bringing off a masterly double save. Until the interval the ball hovered in the vicinity of the Falkirk goal, but Ferguson refused to be beaten, and half-time arrived with Aberdeen distinctly unfortunate to be a goal in arrears.

Fisher's Great Goal.

There were thrills on the resumption. Anderson had to handle from Glaney in the first minute, and the Aberdeen got level in dramatic style. From MacLachlan's pass Fisher got off near mid-field. He rushed through between the backs, and although hotly pursued, managed to retain possession to shoot with great force into the net, Ferguson touching but failing stop the ball. For a time after this danger threatened from the Falkirk left, but Aberdeen resuming the offensive, soon had the Falkirk goal again in danger. From Thomson's pass Middleton got away, and cutting into goal, drove with great force only to miss the mark by inches. Subsequently the visitors' goal enjoyed considerable good fortune.
A ground pass close to goal was completely missed by Fisher, and the ball going to Middleton, the latter had his effort to turn through cleverly averted by Ferguson. On occasions Ferguson had to leave his goal and go to the assistance of his backs, and in a race for the ball outside the penalty area Flanaghan who get there first, completely missed his kick, and the defence recovered. On another occasion Fisher had wriggled through the defence, and actually got past Ferguson, who rushed out to meet him, but the force of the impact with the keeper knocked the forward off his balance, and he was unable to shoot into an empty goal. Aberdeen maintained great pressure, and there were two occasions when it seemed that Fisher and Rankine had shots stopped by defenders' hands, but the referee, either having failed to see them or holding them to unintentional, did not penalise the defenders. Ten minutes from the end Falkirk lost the services of Kane, the inside left, who had to carried off after a collision, but, the visitors played pluckily. Their defence was none too sure, but muddled through. Ferguson blocked a hard drive from Thomson, and Rankine?s attempt to net the rebound was blocked in the scrimmage. At the other end Falkirk came near to taking the lead when Gowdy got clean through the defence. He was left with only Anderson to beat, but the Aberdeen goalkeeper, anticipating finely, brought off a brilliant save. Play in the closing minutes entirely favoured Aberdeen. On two occasions Fisher lost great opportunities by delaying to shoot, and the game ended with Falkirk fortunate indeed to repeat last season's performance by sharing in a division the points.

Source: Aberdeen Daily Journal 17th January 1921