Aberdeen 2 - 1 Dundee

A Fierce Fight at Aberdeen

Aberdeen were deserving victors over Dundee in the match at Pittodrie Park, Aberdeen, because of their great revival in the second period, which they maintained till the last minute of a hardly contested game. It was one of the fiercest fights in recent years between the two great rivals. The Dundee players were delighted when, by Campbell, their centre-forward, they were able to cross over at the interval leading by the only goal of the half. The second period saw a great struggle. Both sides set up an excellent defence against two speedy sets of forwards. R. Bruce was responsible for the equaliser, although it was actually Brown, the right back of the Dundee team, who diverted the ball into the net in an effort to clear. It was McDermid, Aberdeen's inside left, who rounded off some excellent play by giving his side the winning goal. It was a smartly-taken drive from close quarters. Frequenters of Pittodrie will not readily forget the scene of enthusiasm which greed the securing of the winning goal. There was a great outburst of cheering from 19,000 spectators. For Dundee the best players were D. Thomson, Rankine, J. Thomson, Cassidy, and Campbell, and the outstanding men on the Aberdeen side were D. Bruce, Edward, MacLachlan, Cheyne, and McDermid.

Source: The Scotsman, 1st November 1926

In a great struggle at Pittodrie Aberdeen defeated Dundee by 2 goals to 1 in their first league encounter for the season. There were 18,000 spectators, and these were thrilled from start to finish by a fluctuating game. In the first half Aberdeen were at a disadvantage in having to face a heavy shower of sleet, but towards the interval the conditions improved. On the run of the play Aberdeen just deserved to win, and their goal lead at the finish represented, not so much their superior ability, as their territorial advantage. Dundee were slightly more methodical in the first half, at the end of which they led by the only goal, but after the interval the Aberdeen attack came away in great style, and the two goals that fell to their lot were richly deserved. There were periods in the game when excitement got the better of certain of the players, and at one stage in the first half it looked as if the referee would lose his grip. After the Interval, however, there was an improvement in this respect, and although stoppages were frequent for petty fouls, nothing of a really serious nature transpired.
All the 22 players gave a whole-hearted display, which earned them an ovation at the close. On the Aberdeen side, Bruce (D.), Edward, and MacLachlan in defence, and McDermid and Cheyne in attack, were outstanding. For Dundee, Thomson (D.), and Thomson (J.) in the rear division, and Campbell and Cassidy in attack, were best.

MANY THRILLS.

The first incident of note was when Rose tested Blackwell from long range. Aberdeen retaliated on the right, but D. Thomson repelled them, and at the other end Edward brought off a great tackle of Cook, who had rounded Cosgrove and Muir. Fine play by Cassidy led to a corner for Dundee, Edward clearing. For a time each side attacked in turn, but Dundee were more persistent, and when in difficulties the home defence conceded other two corners. Edward clearing both.
At Marsh's end Reid had a shot deflected wide of the goal by a defender, and following the flag kick R. Bruce sent just outside the post with Marsh beaten. Subsequently Marsh had twice to run out to the assistance of his backs. An attack on the Dundee left led to the visitors opening the scoring. Muir, after dispossessing Cook, cleared to Cosgrove, but J. Thomson Intervened, and lobbed the ball forward for Campbell to cleverly head past Blackwell. Reid almost equalised immediately, his shot hitting Marsh for D. Thomson to clear. Following this, a centre by Smith was missed by Reid. Aberdeen continued to attack, and in another raid the Dundee goalkeeper raised the ire of the spectators by deliberately fouling R. Bruce after the ball was away. Aberdeen claimed a, penalty, but the referee, after consulting a linesman, disallowed the appeal. Before play was resumed the Dundee goalkeeper drew attention to a missile that had been thrown in his direction, and the referee remonstrated with a section of the spectators. These incidents served to Intensify the keenness of the struggle, and subsequently the referee had a difficult task controlling the play. A slip by D. Bruce let Campbell through, but he shot just wide of the goal. The Aberdeen defence survived a gruelling few minutes, but ultimately Smith got away to fire In a terrific shot that beat Marsh but struck the inside of the upright and rebounded into play. Another scrimmage ensued in front of Blackwell. And, fortunately for Aberdeen, Campbell sent the ball just wide. Then Marsh fisted away with several Aberdeen players in attendance. At the other end Blackwell fisted clear from a corner, and there was another scrimmage which was terminated by the whistle coming to the goalkeeper's assistance when beset by opponents. Close on the Interval Reid put Aberdeen back to the attack, and from his pass MacLachlan shot high. A gruelling period ended with Dundee hanging grimly to their solitary goal lead.

ABERDEEN'S FINE RECOVERY.

When play resumed Dundee were immediately forced on defence, McDermid shooting high. Following this, Dundee almost took the lead. Hunter sending wide after catching on to a fisted clearance by Blackwell, and shooting before the goalkeeper could regain his place. Subsequently Aberdeen maintained a vigorous offensive. McDermid had a shot charged down, and Rankine deflected a fierce drive by Cheyne. Marsh fisted away from McDermid. and following a corner Smith shot hard against Brown, another fruitless corner resulting. Cook, Cassidy, and Campbell in succession raided the home defence, but were repulsed. At the other end two corners followed a free kick by Cosgrove, the ball being scrambled away off the first, but from the second Reid placed nicely to R. Bruce, who headed goalwards, and Brown, the Dundee right back, in attempting to clear, had the mortification to see the ball spin off his boot into his own goal. Encouraged by this success, Aberdeen again attacked, and D. Thomson almost scored against his side, Marsh coming to the rescue. After this the Dundee defence was hard pressed. Smith rattled the outside of the net, and R. Bruce had a fierce shot deflected by Brown for another corner. Spasmodic raids by the visitors were only stopped by resolute tackling, Edward on one occasion bringing off a fine clearance from Campbell. Aberdeen would not be denied, and Cosgrove had a shot charged down, after which he and Cheyne sent wide with creditable efforts. During a lull in the Aberdeen attack Cook broke away, and with MacLachlan missing his kick Hunter was left in position with only Blackwell in front. To the chagrin of his colleagues, however, he shot straight at the goalkeeper, who saved smartly. End to end play followed, both goals being in danger, but Marsh was kept busier than Blackwell. Seven minutes from the end Aberdeen obtained the winning goal. Reid centred, and Cheyne headed in, but Marsh, although getting his fists to the ball, only sent it to the feet of McDermid, who crashed it into the net. The closing stages were fiercely contested, but there was no further scoring.

Source: Press & Journal, 1st November 1926