Aberdeen 0 - 0 Heart of Midlothian

A draw with no scoring in the Aberdeen-Heart of Midlothian game at Aberdeen was quite a good result. It was a game which opened with quite exciting passages, but which gradually slowed down, and which was contested in the second half on fairly even lines. Most of the thrills came from Aberdeen early in the first half, but they were unable to stay the fast pace they set, and as they eased up their form also fell off proportionately. There was not a great deal between the sides, but the Edinburgh men were the more impressive, and once they settled down they moved much more smoothly and sweetly than their rivals. Taken all over, the Hearts' team put up a pleasing performance. They started rather shakily in defence, but improved steadily, and W. White, both backs, and all three halves put in a good day's work. The only criticism one could direct against the forwards was that their marksmanship was not all it might have been, and that they might have shot more frequently. McMillan met with most success in getting on the mark, and John White had several efforts which were not far off counting. The same weakness in shooting was the principal Aberdeen fault. The forwards kept W. White busy to begin with, but they gradually fell away, and towards the end lost their enterprise and dash. The absence of A. Jackson and Hutton was a severe handicap to Aberdeen, and Wright looked so well after Smith that the left wing seldom got gpoing properly. The Aberdeen halves, like the Edinburgh trio, proved good spoilers, and the Pittodrie defence was sound. About 8000 spectators saw the game.

Source: The Scotsman, 6th April 1925

Every little helps, and it is, doubtless, in this spirit that Aberdeen now regard their league match with Hearts at Pittodrie on Saturday. And yet it might easily have been an occasion for unstinted rejoicing but for the old fault of a lack unity and punch in the attack. Despite the apparent equality of the game, none who witnessed it will deny that, in the first half especially, Aberdeen had far more opportunities of getting one home than their opponents, yet the fact remains that of the game all over, Hearts were "trumps" as regards marksmanship. The first half was practically all Aberdeen's, and only "weak" finishing - to put it mildly - coupled with fine goalkeeping by W. White and grand work by the Hearts half-back line prevented the foundations being laid of ultimate victory. Walter Jackson was especially a sinner, as twice in rapid succession he missed gifts with no one to beat but the custodian. Despite wind handicap in the second half, Aberdeen held their own, but, with both defences in destructive, rather than constructive, form, the play was never very thrilling to watch. Aberdeen missed Alec Jackson and Hutton, although Grant gave quite a serviceable display on the right wing.

ABERDEEN'S FRUITLESS PRESSURE.

About 10,000 spectators witnessed the encounter, which started with Aberdeen in the ascendant. In the first five minutes the Hearts goal had three narrow escapes, MacLachlan shooting inches past, W. K. Jackson shooting into White's hands, and Smith turning in a fine ball which White got to in time. Hearts soon settled down, however, and their stalwart half-back line got a grip of the Aberdeen van which was never afterwards completely shaken off. Hearts had a breakaway on the right, and their Smith forced a corner which was cleared. Walter Jackson was almost through at the other end, but, tackled Reid, the back had the best of it. W. K. Jackson was forcing the play better than the centre, and Smith on the left had some good runs and crosses which, however, went for naught against a stonewall defence. The Aberdeen right wing got moving, and Grant tested White with a lightning drive, but found the keeper all there. John White was not getting much of the ball so far but, when it came his way, parted neatly to Smith, who shot wildly past when a little steadiness might have brought Its reward.
A surprise header by Davidson off a corner nearly had White beaten, but the keeper made a good recovery. At this stage Aberdeen should have been on the lead in view of their strong pressure, but no one seemed able to put the ball home. McMillan was doing grand work on the visiting left, and it was the inside man who first "put the wind up" Blackwell. Fastening on to a weak return about 20 yards out he let drive, just clearing the crossbar. Walter Jackson was not getting much rope from Ramage, and was not knitting the line well together. He got two great chances, however, when, in rapid succession, he found himself admirably placed with no one facing him but White. On each occasion he failed miserably, being only able to send the ball weakly behind. All the play but nothing to show for it was Aberdeen's luck in this period, and, indeed, Hearts almost counted just on the interval, when Blackwell was very lucky to get his leg in front of a shot which was being deflected past him off Forsyth.

DEFENCES' DAY OUT.

The spoiling cross wind had increased when the game resumed, and this seemed to influence the defences on either side to play a harassing game, with little method in it. J. Jackson was the first man to have a try for goal, but White saved his express confidently. The visiting forwards were now coming more into the limelight, and it was fortunate that MacLachlan was on the top of his form, as Smith, who got plenty of the bail, was a dangerous factor. John White got away twice, and each time his parting drive was only a shade too high. At the other end Maclachlan had hard lines with a drive which Ramage popped up and deflected in the nick of time, and then Hearts got a goal which was, however, nullified, as White had just previously been whistled offside.
Maclachlan was doing his utmost to force the forward line, but Wright and Reid had the "Dons" left wing pretty securely held, although W. K. Jackson almost bored through on several occasions. Davidson was not making much of it on the right, with the result that Grant and Bruce had a good deal of foraging to do on their own account. A hard drive by MacLachlan was cleverly caught by White, and then McMillan and Murray got away, the latter squaring nicely into goal. D. Bruce brought off a daring clearance, booting the ball almost, out Blackwell's hands. The "Dons" goalkeeper brought off the save of the match off a swift ground shot by McMillan, Blackwell just managing to throw himself full length and push the ball behind. R. Bruce broke away in the closing stages, but his only reward was a fruitless corner.

Source: Press & Journal, 6th April 1925