Aberdeen 1 - 1 Dundee

Fully 20,000 spectators witnessed this replayed tie at Pittodrie, Aberdeen, yesterday. The first half was fast throughout, but at half-time there was no scoring. On resuming, there was no diminution in the closeness and excitement of the contest. Twenty minutes from the call of time Aberdeen forwards had a well-combined rush down the field, but Flanaghan's parting shot from the right wing went past. Eighteen minutes from the finish Hannah made the mistake of the afternoon for his own side, kicking the ball through his own goal in an endeavour to pass it back to Anderson, the goalkeeper, who was advancing at the time. Six minutes later A. R. Grosart, Aberdeen's amateur player, headed through from a well-placed free kick taken by Middleton. The drawings amounted to £1056 from over 20,000 spectators, but from that amount of entertainment tax has yet to be deducted. The replay will take place in Glasgow on Tuesday next at Ibrox or Hampden.

Source: The Scotsman, 24th February 1921

ABERDEEN AND DUNDEE TO MEET AGAIN.

REFLECTIONS ON STIRRING GAME.

There were two goals scored at Pittodrie yesterday, both by Aberdeen players, but, unfortunately for the home team, one of the points was credited to Dundee. It would have been nothing short of a tragedy had Aberdeen been ousted from the Cup competition by the weird goal that fell to Dundee's lot nineteen minutes from the end when they looked least like scoring. Hutton was harassed by Bell, and Anderson left his charge to come to his assistance. Just at the psychological moment the ball touched Hutton's head, and was deflected towards goal. It was pitiful to see Anderson execute the crawl stroke in an heroic effort to stave off disaster, but he was just a second too late. It was one of these disasters which would have made the angels weep, and one could not but sympathise with the Aberdeen players in their stroke of rank bad luck. To be debited with such a goal at a critical stage of the game was enough to beat any team, but for sheer desperation and determination to the everlasting credit of the men who wore the black and gold jerseys that they lived to save the day. For a brief period they were dismayed, and had Dundee been less keen on safety tactics, they might have made the issue safe. Then some loyal hearted spectator with keen insight into human nature took it in his head to encourage his team and cheer them on. That cheer was infectious. The Aberdeen players took a new lease of life, and in six minutes they were on level terms.
Middleton got away, to be fouled near the Dundee goal-line. The infringement brought retribution in its trail. Middleton himself took the kick, and, placing the ball to advantage, had the satisfaction of seeing it whizz into the net off Grosert's head. It was indeed a dramatic turn of events, arid what followed the Aberdeen success! Hats and sticks went into the air, and the hoarse and exultant roar of delighted men mingled with the hysterical shrieks of women, who shed tears of joy. It was the thrill of the game, but there were more to follow. The fat was in the fire. After that, Aberdeen attacked as they had never attacked before. Dundee defended as they had never defended before. For 13 minutes there was entertainment of the kind that makes cup-tie football so popular.

Aberdeen Unfortunate.

Although that was the period of thrills, interest was by no means confined to the closing 15 minutes. At intervals earlier there was much that was exciting, and from first to last it was a dour, desperate struggle between two teams each of whom while eager to win were equally determined not to be beaten. The cup-tie spirit pervaded the atmosphere of the principals. The play was too strenuous to be accurate, the nervous tension too strained for mistakes not to occur. What opportunities one side lost one moment wore counteracted the next by similar failures on the part the opposition. It was anything but a lop-sided display given by either team, and as it should be in football, and in a cup-tie in particular, all departments of the respective teams were in touch throughout the "action." Taking the game all over Aberdeen accounted for the bulk of the pressure, and on that account it can be said ought to have won, but the fruits of their attacking superiority were not forthcoming, and it is only fair to Dundee to say that as effectiveness of forward play can only be measured by goals, the Dens Park men did well to be in the position of forcing a replay, although the element of good fortune was much more pronounced about their medium of doing so than in the goal that fell to Aberdeen.
From the point, of view of the onlooker, the slip that led to Dundee taking the lead was as good a thing as happened in the match. Up to that stage a grim, dour, stern struggle had the appearance of ending in a goalless draw, but after everybody had recovered from the shock of the '" bombshell" goal the occurrence put fire into the home team. Then, when the equaliser came along, it acted as a tonic. It gingered the home team and stiffened the backs of the Dundee players, and as a spectacular treat the play in these few minutes was ahead of all the remainder of the game.

When Chances Were Lost.

Had Aberdeen been leading by the smallest of margins at the end the first half, it would only have been in accordance with the balance of play. Gibbon had seen much more service in the period than Anderson, but against, this it can be that had such as Bell and McLean been a little more alert in front of goal the lead might have been with Dundee when the respite came along.
Aberdeen early lost a scoring chance in the second half, and then a dull but not uninteresting period intervened. In it Dundee were seen to slightly better advantage than they had been earlier, but they encountered a defence resolute and robust as their own. This was succeeded by a period which brought out the equality of the teams. Then came the goals, to be followed a passage in which Aberdeen overwhelmed the opposition without being quite equal to decisively overcome it. At that time cool heads were required, but they were only in the defences, and had Aberdeen possessed what had been lacking all the season - an opportunist - the teams would not be meeting for the third time next week.
There was much robustness in the play, and if the game was a bit rough-and-tumble, the undesirable element was much less in evidence than in the first meeting at Dens Park on Saturday. Every one of the 22 players threw himself whole-heartedly into the fray, and fully exposed their resources. Where determination is such a strong factor, as frequently happens, the smoothness of the game was interrupted, but there were many bright and exhilarating passages. In some respects Dundee may have been slightly the more methodical, but as a combination Aberdeen were the more appealing side.

Accidents Will Happen.

"All's well that ends well," but that ball which trickled over the Aberdeen goal-line might easily have settled Aberdeen's hash. George Anderson kept an admirable goal, but there will not be wanting those who will say he should have remained in his goal when he was beaten. Accidents will happen, however, and this was one of the pure variety.
Hutton and Hannah played superbly at back. One could not but be sorry for Hutton when that header of his went astray, but he did not allow it to affect his subsequent play, and together the pair gave an impression and a proof of that solidness which means so much in cup warfare. All three half-backs played a sterling game. In the opening stages, but even more so near the close, Wright was brilliant. A. R. Grosert has not been seen to such advantage this season, and in the second half especially his experience stood him and his side in good stead. His goal was his first for the Aberdeen club, and, obtained under the peculiar circumstances, was most valuable. MacLachlan, too, played splendid football, and kept a good grip of the opposing wing. Altogether, the three half-backs gave a great account of themselves, and it was they who dominated the game in the last fifteen minutes of thrills.
All the forwards had to work hard, and of the five Connon and Middleton met with meat success. The inside right never failed to hustle the defence, and not neglecting his winger, that player responded well. Macdonald was a hustler in the centre, but, while parting nicely in midfield, especially to the left, he was none too successful near goal, and several opportunities might have been improved upon. Rankine was indefatigable, and accounted for some good work in defence, but was not penetrative enough. Flanaghan struck his best form in the later stages, and was just a little unfortunate on at least two occasions in not finding the net with splendid tries.

Dundee Stalwarts.

Gibbon did much good work for Dundee, and had more to do than his vis-a-vis. He was strong and reliable, and sure in all he got through. Fleming and Thomson were stalwarts in the rear division. Thomson was the better of the two, as Fleming was inclined to miskick, but they were a serviceable pair all the same. In the half-back line Jackson caught the eye most, but he had able henchmen in Irving and Hutchison.
Once again internationalist Troup failed to realise expectations against an Aberdeen team. His best work on this occasion was accomplished in defence - where Grosert and Hutton had not to be circumvented. Bell played hard throughout, and some of his leading-out work in the first half was clever, but the best forward in the side was McLean, even if he was none too dangerous in front of goal. Kilpatrick was not so prominent as on Saturday, and was often easily stopped by Hannah. Cowan did not strike things up too well, and the missing of chances reflected where the Dundee weakness lay.

A Mid-Week Record.

The receipts amounted £1056 4s, representing an attendance of 20,000 persons, which is easily a record for a mid-week match north of Edinburgh. The spectators included a number of ladies, a fact which reflects the growing interest the fair sex taking in the pastime. Many enthusiasts travelled from country districts, and a large number of the Dens Park team's supporters made the journey from Dundee.

To Meet in Glasgow.

After the match the directors of the two clubs met, and it was agreed to re-play the tie at Ibrox Park, Glasgow, on Tuesday first, and, if Ibrox Park is not available, at Hampden on the same day..

Source: Aberdeen Daily Journal 24th February 1921