Aberdeen 2 - 2 Partick Thistle

FORWARDS' WEAK FINISHING COSTS ANOTHER

Conditions were perfect for the Alliance match at Pittodrie between Aberdeen " A " and Partick Thistle "A" on Saturday when the points were shared with an equal division of four goals.

Play was very fast and open and both teams showed clever touches in the out-' field, but the home forwards were guilty of wild finishing.
Skea was prominent for the Young Dons, beating his man regularly, and he was the first to give Henderson, in the visiting goal, any difficulty.
Rather surprisingly Partick Thistle took the lead, Watson scoring in eighteen minutes after Kelly had fumbled the ball.
A goal down against the run of play, Aberdeen exerted more pressure and George Scott all but levelled the score when he sent in a great shot which Henderson did well to save.
The home forwards were clever on the ball and were continually on the attack. From a neat pass by W. Scott Smith made ground on the right to beat his man, but with only Henderson to pass the winger shot over.
Dunlop and Ritchie had a lot of work to get through. Both were very sound, with Ritchie well-nigh impassable.
A hefty clearance by Dunlop gave W. Scott an opening, but he was slow to get the ball under control and a chance of a goal was missed A few minutes later the equaliser was again within the Young Dons' grasp, Henderson being extremely lucky to be the way of a shot by Taylor.

STRONG PARTICK DEFENCE

The Aberdeen reserves were doing all they could to snatch a goal but the Partick defence was strong. w. Scott, however, should have done better than to shoot past when Skea had made a fine opening.
On the restart Taylor and Smith had interchanged places. The Young Dons were another goal behind in five minutes. A move on the Partick right wing looked dangerous and from a cross by Linton Smith headed home. Kelly showed no anticipation in his effort to counter the goal.
Lack of thrust on the part of the home attack spoiled a smartness in the outfield, and against the solidity of the Partick defence had little chance of progress.
The Young Dons, however, reduced arrears with a goal from Taylor. Skea shot hard from the wing and Henderson failed to hold his shot and Taylor rushed in to finish off.
From then on they fought desperately for the equalising goal and just on time G. Scott headed in a cross from the left.
Aberdeen lost a point through a lack of incisiveness on the part of the forwards. Lots of chances should have been improved on.
The defence was the superior department. The half-backs and backs had plenty to do and they did it well, Ritchie and Erskine in particular being prominent.

Source: Press & Journal, 27th December 1937