Cowdenbeath 0 - 1 Aberdeen

There were surprises in the leagues. In the First Division, Rangers dropped a point at Hamilton, and Celtic at Parkhead fell to Motherwell by 4-0. Aberdeen enhanced their prospects of finishing the season as runners-up for the championship by securing the only goal at Cowdenbeath. In the Second Division, Leith Athletic dropped a valuable point to Montrose, and, with the failure of Third Lanark and Albion Rovers, East Fife have drawn level at the top with Leith Athletic.

Scraping through by a single goal scored late in the game at Central Park, Aberdeen seldom rose above the mediocre standard of Cowdenbeath, who notwithstanding, would not have been flattered if they had claimed one or even both points. Aberdeen were very much below par, and it was a somewhat fortuitous goal by Bob McDermid in the last quarter of an hour that saved the Dons reputation. In the time that remained, the Fifers came very near to equalising, and it was more good luck than defensive skill that prevented them from so doing. All over, of course, Aberdeen played the better football, in a game in which really good football was at a premium; but throughout the second half, during which they had more than a fair share of the exchanges, it was Cowdenbeath, by reason of their determined, if somewhat disorganised rushes, who gave the impression that they would score a deciding goal.

,b>Simple Affair.

The all-important goal, which gave Aberdeen their first victory at Cowdenbeath in a First League encounter, was a simple affair. Yorston, after failing at a good opening, retrieved the ball, and his unusual mistake by sending the ball hard across goal. Middleton was out at the moment, and McDermid had a comparatively easy task to steer the ball through.
A clamour by the home players, led by Middleton, for off-side, against Smith it appeared, did not get Cowdenbeath anywhere and so Aberdeen garnered in two valuable points. Cowdenbeath also found the referee unshakable in his belief when they claimed a penalty on another occasion.
It was really Aberdeen?s lucky day, and it is well that it is only once a blue moon that the side gives such an indifferent display as they did on Saturday.

'Stars' Obscured.

Both at half-back, and among the front rankers, there was an awful lot of faulty passing, while in front of goal each of the forwards 'slept-in' badly at different times.
McDermid was the only man who played to anything Iike form. Both Yorston and Cheyne had very bad days. The heavy ground which early began to cut-up like an arable field, seemed to cramp the little centre's style and no doubt, too, it was the awkward way that the ball bounced which, to some extent, accounted for Cheyne's poor shooting and frequent ill-directed passes. Love, resuming after his absence with a leg injury, showed that he has yet to regain all his old confidence but still, he was the most stylish forward on view. Smith was not good and missed one or two chaches.
It does not seem to matter how often Aberdeen?s defence is re-shuffled - the net result is ever the same - Legge's re-introduction neither made for greater strength nor lessened resource, though it was gratifying to see Cooper 'going-in' as often and as successfully as he did. The fact remains, however, that the defence was, on the whole, unstable under pressure, and against a brighter set of forwards than Cowdenbeath possess, must surely have been beaten more than once. Yuill's display was neither polished nor confident.

A Brilliant 'Keeper.

Cowdenbeath are going through a bad time, both financially - about 1000 spectators watched the game - and in a playing sense. They are not a good side, and have the haziest conception of team work. It was Middleton, their International goalkeeper, who was the Fifer's helmet of defence. He gave a brilliant exhibition. Lindsay, at centre, and Pullar were the dangerous men in the Fife attack, but more particularly Lindsay. He worked like ten men and a toy to get a goal, and on occasions just missed by the proverbial fraction of an inch. With real backing he should have realised his ambitions.
It was a game of utter drabness, the only exciting movement being in the last half minute, when the Aberdeen defenders were banging the ball against each other, including the goalkeeper, in their blind anxiety to avert a very imminent disaster.

Source: Press & Journal, 17th March 1930