Yorston Missed
Airdrie were forced on the defensive from the restart, and Aberdeen should have increased their lead. Many chances went abegging, and one had the feeling that if Yorston had been playing there would have been more goals. The visitors came away strongly in the closing stages, but their effort was too late, and Cummings found little difficulty in disposing of the shots that came his way. Airdrie had a sound defence, but the forwards did not get enough support from the half-backs.
Source: Glasgow Herald, 1st September 1930
Half-back Disparity.
The greatest disparity between the teams was at half-back, where Aberdeen were greatly superior, Black, McLaren, and Hill being at the top of their form. If anything, Airdrieonians had the more smoothly-moving attack, but they did not have the dash and punch of Aberdeen. Cummings in the home goal played very confidently, executing several smart saves, but his work was not nearly so dangerous as that which fell to Paterson. At back, Cooper and Legge struck up a fine understanding, and were seldom in difficulties.McDermid Outstanding.
McDermid was easily the best of the Aberdeen forwards, his generalship being always in evidence, and Love and Smith did good work on the wings. Merrie, at centre-forward, although not up to the Yorston standard, led the line with great dash, and was a continuous menace to the Airdrie defence. For a period of the second half, Hill and Smith changed places, owing to the first-named coming by an injury, and in their unaccustomed positions both showed up surprisingly well.Paterson's Goalkeeping.
Although their forwards had many spirited raids, the brunt of the game fell on the Airdrie defence. Paterson was brilliant, and Crapnell and McQueen gave him every support, the left-back giving a grand display. Sharp was the best of the half-backs, and in the forward line they were somewhat lacking in craft, Paterson (J.), Harrison, and Muir were best.A Rushed Goal.
Both goals were scored during the last five minutes of the first half. Paterson had distinguished himself by, several brilliant saves, especially of shots by Smith, Hill, and Merrie, before he was beaten. There was a scramble in front of the visitors' goal during which the ball found the crossbar, and McDermid met it as it rebounded and rushed it into the net. The Airdrie players appeared to think that an infringement had been committed but referee Dougray turned down their appeal. The game had only just been resumed when Aberdeen got a second goal. Hill worked the ball along to have a shot blocked, and after Dickie had fastened on the latter parted cleverly for Merrie to hook into the net.Back to the Rescue.
Aberdeen, generally, were on top throughout the second half when the Airdrie goal ran several narrow escapes. On one occasion Paterson, out of his goal, was beaten but Wood, standing on the goal line, kicked clear from underneath the bar. Cummings had few really dangerous shots to deal with, but on at least two occasions had to run out and pick up from the feet of onrushing opponents.Source: Press & Journal, 1st September 1930