Aberdeen 3 - 3 Hamilton

Aberdeen Turn the Tables

Aberdeen at home did well to draw with Hamilton Academicals. When the Academicals crossed over leading by two goals obtained by Brown, the centre-forward, and Miller, the inside right, there was little appearance of a final draw of three goals each. It was very evident on Aberdeen resuming, however, that there was to be a change of tactics. There was less of individual finessing and more of swinging the ball from side to side, and first-time efforts at shooting promised well. W. Jackson, who in Aberdeen's centre forward position, and Smith, who was his side's most vigorous trier, got goals, and after Moffat had again given the Academicals the lead, it fell to Jackson to repeat his scoring success and secure a draw. It was close upon the end of the match when Aberdeen got their third goal, and the escape from defeat in the first of the season's matches seemed to give greater Zest to the cheering of 20,000 spectators. Reid, Aberdeen's new right winger from Third Lanark, proved swift in rubbing, but was occasionally too slow in parting with the ball. McDermid, the old Rangers and Queen of the South player, proved his worth in feeding his outside winger, Smith. McHale from Maryhill Hibernians, Aberdeen's new right half, cooperated well with Hutton at centre-half in defence. The Academicals almost all through proved the smarter lot, especially when their wingers, Moffat and Borland, showed their paces. Somerville, in goal, showed tact in getting his goal clear when hard pressed.

Source: The Scotsman, 17th August 1925

About 19,000 persons looked on at a keen and often exciting struggle at Pittodrie, where Aberdeen and Hamilton Academicals each scored three times. In the first half the Academicals proved more adept at exploiting the advantage to attackers conceded by the alteration in the offside law, and at the interval Aberdeen found themselves two goals in arrears; a state of affairs that did ample justice to the visitors. There was a different tale in the second period, when Aberdeen early drew level, only to again fall into arrears, but matters righted themselves near the close, when the scores were equalised. It was a wonderfully fast game, and by common consent it was agreed that the change in the offside law will ensure more exciting football, fewer stoppages, and scoring will on the average be higher. On the other hand, while Saturday's game indicated a quickening of pace and the need for virility and youth both in attack and defence, the quality of football is likely to suffer. The game also suggested that the amending of the law will tend to increase rough play, inasmuch as defenders now at a disadvantage will seek to stop opponents by the method commonly known as 'going for the man.' Referees have the power to restrict this tendency.
Aberdeen did well to finish level after being so far in arrears, but the team took a long time to settle down. The half-backs and backs were unsteady in the first half, with the result that their forwards suffered, and it was well for the side that Blackwell was in good form. In the second half there was a marked improvement in all departments, and with greater familiarity in the manner of operating the amended offside law, the team should be much better next time. Blackwell and D. Bruce and Hutton were the best of the home defenders, and Jackson and Reid, and R. Bruce were the most dangerous forwards. On the Hamilton side, Miller, Brown, and Moffatt were the most successful attackers, and in defence, Somerville, McCormack, Hunt, and McNeill were ontstanding.

Academicals' Two-Goal Lead.

The Academicals were first to take up the running, and Borland when well placed missed a fine chance to give his side the lead when he sent the ball weakly behind after both Aberdeen backs failed to clear. Play continued for some time near the home goal, and the defence got in some scrambling clearances to extricate themselves from dangerous situations. Brown, the Academicals leader, was very aggressive, and following a rush he sent narrowly past. Blackwell had twice to field difficult balls from Moffat and Gibson, before the Aberdeen attack got going, Jackson heading a rally which culminated in his being dispossessed by McCormack. Reid twice made headway, but failed to get in his centres, but Smith from near the corner flag lifted over a lovely ball which the Aberdeen outside right just failed to reach with his head. The ball was quickly returned, and Hutton and MacLachlan both had tries intercepted before McCormack ultimately cleared. The ball was quickly at the other end, where Brown missed with a fast drive. Subsequent to this the Aberdeen goal was lucky to escape when Blackwell ran out and missed a lobbed centre from Moffat, the ball bouncing from the ground up against the crossbar. The Academicals had an equally narrow escape when following a lob forward by MacLachlan the ball found R. Bruce's head and rolled behind two inches wide of the goal with Somerville beaten. Following more pressure, Academicals were rewarded when Brown eluded Hutton and ranl on to score a brilliant goal from 20 yards' range. For a time the play continued in favour of the Academicals, and Blackwell had smart saves off noteworthy efforts by Hunt and Borland. A thrust by Reid improved the Aberdeen outlook, but after his centre had been missed by several colleagues, the ball travelled to Smith, and he in turn gave R. Bruce a splendid chance to open the scoring. The inside right, however, failed badly in his attempt to shoot. Two corner kicks well placed by Reid were smartly disposed of by Somerville although beset by opponents. The ball travelled fast from end to end, and no sooner had Blackwell saved a fast shot from Brown than Smith just missed scoring at Somerville's end. A corner kick taken by the Aberdeen left winger proved unproductive, and then two flag kicks fell to the Academicals. Following the second of these the ball went to Miller, who shot into the net with terrific force from near the eighteen yards line. Two goals ahead, the Academicals maintained their advantage until the interval.

Jackson's Fine Effort.

Aberdeen were a transformed side on resuming. They immediately set up an attack, and in the first minute Jackson, after getting possession forty yards out, beat both Johnstone and McCormack in quick succession, and finished up by shooting into the net beyond the reach of the outstretched Somerville. The success had the energising effect on Aberdeen, who at this stage threatened to overwhelm the visiting defence. In a period of stiff pressure Smith just missed with a hard drive, and for a time the Academicals' defence was sorely tried. Five minutes after the previous success Jackson neatly side-slipped the ball to Smith, and the left winger crashed it into the net from close range to level the scores. Following this the visitors retaliated, and Blackwell saved finely from Borland's head following a corner conceded by D. Bruce. Forcing work by Hutton again put Aberdeen on the attack, and a rally came to grief when Reid shot wildly over from close range. Fifteen minutes from the close Aberdeen again fell into arrears. Moffatt raced past Forsyth, and after cutting in sent in an oblique ground shot, the ball just evading the outstretched Blackwell and finding the net off the base of an upright. Subsequently Aberdeen strove desperately to get level, and a robust element crept into the game. Jackson and Reid were both badly fouled just outside the penalty area, but no advantage accrued to Aberdeen from the free kicks. At the other end Brown was almost through when Blackwell rushed out and cleared. A centre by Reid passed behind just out of reach of other Aberdeen forwards, and there was an exciting scuffle until the ball was got away after R. Bruce had caused Somerville to give away a corner. After this the Aberdeen defence was again tested, and following a shot by Gibson, two corner kicks fell to the visitors, disaster being averted on each occasion. Playing a high ball, Hutton caught Hunt on the face and the Academical required attention, and shortly afterwards Brown was injured running into Blackwell's fist when the goalkeeper was in the act of hitting away a high ball. The closing stages proved exciting, and five minutes from the end Aberdeen drew level. McHale lobbed over a high ball, which R. Bruce headed against the upright, but Jackson, following up, met the return and piloted the ball into the back of the net. Aberdeen attacked until the end, on the eve of which Somerville had to clear a fast ground shot by R. Bruce.

Source: Press & Journal, 17th August 1925