Arbroath 1 - 2 Aberdeen

Late Goal by Callander Puts Y\oung Dons Through
By NORMAN MACDONALD

Two minutes from the end McLaughlin sent a long, searching pass up the middle. It found Alex Callander. The winger outpaced the defence and raced on to score.
That was the goal that enabled Aberdeen Reserves to beat Arbroath 2-1 at Gayfield Park yesterday in the first round of the Scottish 2nd XI. Cup.

It was a poor game between two poor sides. Arbroath's display wasn't a good advertisement for "B" Division football. Their eleven was composed for the most part of first-team players.
The outstanding player on the field wore Aberdeen's colours. He was Ralph McKenzie at centre half. Strong and dependable, he never gave Carrie, the Arbroath centre forward, a chance to do any damage either with the ball in the air or on the ground.
He received a cut on the side of his left eye a few minutes before the interval in a collision with Patience, the former Ross County player. For the first twenty minutes of the second half Aberdeen reserves played with ten men. McKenzie resumed after he had had a stitch inserted in the wound.
After a good first half Massie at right back for the Pittodrie side, fell away. He mistimed several of his clearances, and it was an inexplicable lapse he made when Arbroath equalised.

McLaughlin Scores

Seventeen minutes after the start of the second period Carrie flicked' corner from Esplin into the goalmouth and Massie, instead of clearing, turned the ball into his own goal.
At this stage the Young Dons were leading by a first-half goal netted thirty-three minutes after the kick-off. Harris and Yorston did the leading-up work and McLaughlin is to be complimented on the cool manner in which he took the scoring chance.
There was too much thoughtless passing by the Pittodrie wing half-backs and forwards. With more care and accuracy in this direction they might have won more decisively.
As it is, to beat what was more or less the Arbroath first team on their own ground wasn't a bad performance. Harris, McLaughlin and Callander were hard-working, if not brilliant forwards for Aberdeen reserves.

Esplin Impresses

Arbroath won't break any records on yesterday's form. The backs switched position practically from the kick off, and in the second half Coats went to inside right and Patience to left half.
The only Gayfield player who impressed was Esplin at outside right. A last season's juvenile, he showed good ball control and his crosses were almost invariably dangerous.

Source: Press & Journal, 16th September 1947