Dundee United 2 - 0 Aberdeen

Because of their first half display, Dundee United well deserved their win over Aberdeen at Tannadice Park, before 12,000 spectators. The play of their forwards during that period was the best they have shown this season, and the goals taken by Campbell and J. Simpson were both splendid efforts. Aberdeen failed to settle to a constructive game, and their halves, of whom MacLachlan was best, failed to hold the home forwards, every one of whom was at his best. The second half was ragged compared with the thrilling period before the interval. The Aberdeen forwards never combined, and their shooting was poor. Despite being handicapped by injury to McBride, which caused him to cripple throughout most of the game, the home defence was never stretched very much, though much very fine work by D. Walker repelled quite a number of Aberdeen attacks. Paterson was splendid in goal for the home team, and the best in defence were Kay, D. Walker, and J. Walker. None of the forwards could be criticised adversely. The best were Welsh, Campbell, and J. Simpson, who deputised on the right wing for T. Simpson. The play of the new winger was promising, and he shot very well. Blackwell might have saved the second goal. Otherwise he was good. Hutton was not up to international standard, especially in the first half, when he was inclined to miskick. Reid was the only forward of note, but even his shooting was weak.

Source: The Scotsman, 16th November 1925

No one can gainsay the fact that Dundee United were worthy of their- win against Aberdeen at Tannadice Park on Saturday. It might be argued that Aberdeen pressed equally as much in the second half as the Dundonians did in the first, but what a contrast in the efforts of the respective forward lines to locate the goal! Almost every shot that came from the foot a Dundee attacker was dead true and troublesome in the extreme, while the Aberdeen forwards appeared to have a distaste for putting the ball straight for goal. It must be said that the forwards seldom got into a scoring position, but that was simply because they were not so expert in opening out the defence as were their opponents.
Tannadice Park was strange to the Aberdonians, however, and played some disconcerting tricks on them. Parts of the ground were rutted, and the frost had hardened up the grooves. Tice Aberdeen players were conspicuously deceived by the ball bouncing away in an unexpected direction. Jock Hutton lunged at a ball coming straight for him, and it incontinently evaded his foot, bouncing off the ground at a tangent to a Dundee player. Although the game was fought on strenuous lines, seldom did enthusiasm become fevered. There was a fecklessness about the major part of it, due to the wariness of the players moving on the frosted ground.

FIRST-MINUTE EFFORT.

In the first minute Aberdeen looked if they were to carry all before them. Through some inexplicable reason, Jackson was left unmarked, and Reid sent an accurate pass to his foot. The centre flashed in a rocket shot, which Paterson stopped under the bar. The home players settled more readily to the state of the ground, however, and Aberdeen spent quarter of an hour blocking and heading the ball away from danger. They were kicking away anyhow. The ball was oftener ballooning in the air than rolling on the ground, and the sharp breeze helped the Dundonians to keep the ball in Aberdeen territory. From a free kick outside the penalty box, Kay placed nicely, and Blackwell must have thought that all was up when Welsh got his head on the ball when he tried to fist it away. The crossbar stayed the ball's progress, however, and Pirie ended an anxious moment by punting upfield.
Aberdeen pulled themselves together, and there was less indiscriminate kicking. Their first dangerous move since the opening minute was executed by Reid. He cleverly circumvented McBride, and Paterson had to make an agile dart across the goal to stop his parting shot. The United's open play was proving the more effective, however, and Welsh was a dangerous leader.
United's two goals came within a minute of each other, and lead gained by the was in keeping with the run of the play. About eight minutes from half-time, Simpson sent over a picture of a pass to Campbell, who took the ball in his stride and drove it into the comer of the net. Blackwell had no earthly chance of reaching it. Aberdeen made a shock attack, but the home defence met it steadily, and Welsh sent Simpson after a long pass. The winger drove from an acute angle and found the net behind the far upright.

WOEFUL SHOOTING.

In the second half the positions were reversed. Aberdeen did most of the attacking, but the occasional raids by the Dundee forwards had more edge on them than any of the Aberdeen efforts. The two wing men and Welsh were a dangerous and thrustful trio. The Aberdeen halves took now a better grip of the game, and kept their forwards aggressive. Reid caught the eye several times with smart footwork, but showed a tendency to hang on too long, so that Paterson was often able to fist away his crosses. The excellent covering up of the home rear-guard was nullifying many good moves by the Aberdeen forwards, who could not find a chink, at times, to fire through, and the long-range attempts were woefully off the mark. Once when they managed to open out the defence Smith wasted a likely opportunity. Four Aberdeen forwards had only two defenders and the goalkeeper between them and success. The outside left shot prematurely, instead of crossing to a colleague better situated. He made amends a minute later, however. He did a neat bit of work in beating McBride, and his cross from the touchline drew Paterson out his goal, but the ball curled towards the net and by only a superhuman effort was the custodian able to palm it over the bar. From the flag kick McLeod sent past from close in. On only one other occasions did Aberdeen look like scoring. That was when McDermid brought Paterson to his knees to save a fast grounder.
United came near increasing their lead when Campbell received the ball almost under the crossbar. To the amazement of the crowd the inside right hooked it over the bar. Blackwell then saved splendidly from Simpson. Although bombarded to the finish, the home defence held out.

HUTTON BARRACKED.

Despite the fact that was twice beaten, Blackwell was the more convincing of the two goalkeepers, while "Jock" Hutton was his usual self at right back, and the best defender on the field. He came in for much unwarranted barracking, but Jock was never once guilty of anything that called for rebuke. Duff Bruce did not play his customary game, and was occasionally bested by the opposing wing. Nevertheless, there were many times that he emerged from a difficult position with flying colours. After being rocky in the first half, the middle line played a steadier game in the second period. Pirie and Cosgrove did useful work, but Bert MacLachlan was the pick of the trio. Aberdeen's best forward was Reid. His speed and trickiness was disconcerting to the opposing defence, but he was prone to hang on just that second too long. The inside men were Trojans for work, but McDermid was not the schemer of the past few matches. Jackson was too well policed to be effective. There were never less than two at his tail when the ball came his way. Smith, next to Reid, was Aberdeen's best forward. All were offenders in their shooting, however.
It was the Dundee halves that were mainly responsible for holding out Aberdeen in the second half, although their backs were steady enough. Their forwards were a sprightly quintette, with their wingers and centre the best of the bunch. Attendance, 11,000.

Source: Press & Journal, 16th November 1925