Motherwell 3 - 0 Aberdeen

A rousing game was served up at Fir Park, Motherwell, where Ferguson, the home centre, performed the "hat trick."

Source: The Scotsman, 13th April 1922

Aberdeen sustained another League defeat last night when Motherwell beat them at Fir Park by 3 goals to 0. There were about 5000 spectators, and owing to injuries, both sides were under strength

The Game

Aberdeen made progress at the start, Bainbridge carrying the ball into the danger zone. Stewart relieved, and, after a miskick by Grosert, Reid almost caught Blackwell napping with a back-heeler. The Aberdeen forwards went down in a body, and Bainbridge tested Rundell, but for five minutes the Aberdeen backs were kept busy. Middleton caused a diversion by tricking McDougall, but Moir failed to improve on his cross. The wind was causing some trouble, and the pace was anything but fast, while combination amongst either set of forwards was conspicuous by its absence.
Motherwell the aggressive side, but Grosert and Forsyth held out for fifteen minutes, when Ferguson, from fifteen yards beat Blackwell with an angular shot. Aberdeen forward line lacked penetrative power, Motherwell, on the other hand, seldom failed to finish correctly, and it was only Blackwell that prevented, first Ferguson and next Allan, from augmenting the Motherwell score. Wright, at centre-half, did a power of work, and repeatedly let his forwards away, but they could not finish.
Alexander, with a likely opening shot yards wide, while Moir, instead of driving, tried to run the ball through the goal. After half an hour's play, Aberdeen came into the game with determined forward raids, but there was only one decent shot, delivered by Bainbridge, and Rundell was on the spot and cleared.
The next few minutes saw Blackwell in action, and his clearance of low deliveries by Ferrier and Rankin stamped him as class. As play progressed a faster pace was set, and lay opened out somewhat, but it was more of a case of huge punting than forward combination that was in evidence. Alexander, though a mere boy, showed good points, but Paterson was too experienced for him. There was not a decent shot in the Aberdeen team, although MacLachlan and Stevenson both got on the mark, but it was from long range, and easily cleared.

Aberdeen resumed in the second half with fine open passing, but the forward moves went away at the vital point. Middleton after beating several opponents, crossed right in front of goal, and Thomson missed a likely chance. Blackwell was not long idle, as he had to pick up a low drive from Reid. while several tries went over the bar. Play was scrappy, and Aberdeen, while active, seldom looked like scoring, Rundell getting everything easy to hand. Aberdeen mixed matters after twenty minutes' play when there was no further scoring.

Defence Gives Way,

The numerous team changes tended to scrappiness, and play was scrappy from start to finish. Bainbridge and Stevenson were the only Aberdeen forwards to do anything of note. Alexander, while playing cleverly at the outset, tapered off quickly. Blackwell was the one man in defence, and he repeatedly cleared when goals seemed imminent. Forsyth was the better back, Grosert being repeatedly beaten by the speedy Ferrier. Wright did a power of useful work, which was thrown away on reckless forwards, and the MacLachlans were dependable. Aberdeen's sorely harassed defence gave way with ten minutes to go, and Ferguson scored a couple of goals inside five minutes, but the second of these was disallowed, but two minutes from time he scored a third.

Source: Aberdeen Daily Journal 13th April 1922