Falkirk 2 - 0 Aberdeen

Falkirk followed up their fine displays against Motherwell and Heart of Midlothian by beating another of the challenging clubs, Aberdeen. The win was fully deserved, principally because of a particularly fine period of pressure during the second half. Falkirk might have been discouraged, but they kept pounding away until the resistance was broken down.
It was an entertaining game throughout-very fast, with much attractive forward play. Aberdeen?s attack played with delightful understanding and rapidity of movement, but failed to finish in keeping with their outfield work. They were not given much time to think, however, except in the case of McLean, who appeared to be given considerable freedom. Unfortunately for his side he was not quick enough to get in, and openings were lost.

More Direct Methods

Falkirk followed up their fine displays against Motherwell and Heart of Midlothian by beating another of the challenging clubs, Aberdeen. The win was fully deserved, principally because of a particularly fine period of pressure during the second half. Falkirk might have been discouraged, but they kept pounding away until the resistance was broken down.
It was an entertaining game throughout-very fast, with much attractive forward play. Aberdeen?s attack played with delightful understanding and rapidity of movement, but failed to finish in keeping with their outfield work. They were not given much time to think, however, except in the case of McLean, who appeared to be given considerable freedom. Unfortunately for his side he was not quick enough to get in, and openings were lost.

More Direct Methods

Falkirk always had more direct methods, and the virtue of that was demonstrated in the scoring of the goals. Gall scored the first one twenty minutes from the finish with a hard drive taken on the run, which Falloon inadvertently assisted into the net. The second goal, three minutes later, came from a quick thrust by Dougall. Falkirk?s half-backs were the most important factors in the side, Batchelor and Hutchison linking up with the forwards when necessity demanded. The front line played in unison.
Aberdeen?s defence wavered at critical junctures, and Smith had greater concern than he normally should have had. Beattie and Warnock made the best wing in the game. Moore was a good, if unfortunate, leader but McLean?s failure to respond threw the line out of gear.

Source: Glasgow Herald, 14th November 1932

PRETTY WORK THAT DID NOT PAY.

No excuse can be found for Aberdeen's defeat at Brockville. On the day's play Falkirk were the better team and fully deserved their 2-0 victory.
Aberdeen failed to reproduce the form which took them to the top the League table. Although the "Bairns" were always the more dangerous in the first half, the Done were often seen in the role of attackers, but relied too much on the close passing game, and against a full-blooded Falkirk defence they were seldom impressive.
Only during the fifteen minutes before the interval did Aberdeen reveal anything like their real form, and in that period they caused the "Bairns'" defence more trouble than at any time throughout the game.
In the second half the attack never got going, and but for a wholehearted display by the Dons' defence, Falkirk would have retired with more than two goals to their credit.

Hard on Smith.

As it was, the two goals which the "Bairns" did score entered the net via Aberdeen defenders. Curiously enough, the players concerned, Falloon and Cooper, were Aberdeen's best men.
The former, in effort to stop a Gall shot, headed the ball past Smith, who might otherwise have held it, and Cooper partly stopped a Dougal piledriver, and the ball past the 'keeper.
Smith is to be sympathised with, for he brought off numerous brilliant saves. Cooper gave bright display. He kept Gall in subjection, and his timely interventions more than once put paid to Falkirk movements which looked like bringing results.
Ever in the thick of the fray, Falloon excelled as a breaker-up. The only blemish on an otherwise superb display was his mistake - a pardonable one in the circumstances - which resulted in the first goal.

Poor Wing Halves.

Although the forwards did not strike their best game, the factor which contributed to Aberdeen's defeat was the weak play of the wing halves.
O'Reilly, who joined the Pittodrie ranks from Brideville, the Irish Free State club, has played some great games for the Dona. Every player has an off day, and Saturday was certainly O'Reilly's. He never got into his stride, and it is very doubtful if he has completely recovered from the knee injury sustained at Greenock.
Mooney, the ex-Stenhousemuir lad, who deputised for Godfrey, worked hard, but was slow in tackling, and his passing was not it all might have been.

Forward Faults.

Beattie was the strongest and most effective of the Aberdeen forward quintette, but he was inclined to hang on to the ball too long. Mills, after a good first half, faded out, and Moore got few opportunities to shine. Warnock did well without being outstanding, and McLean got too little of the ball to give of his best.
Had the Aberdeen forwards taken a leaf out of Falkirk's book and kept the ball swinging and the play open, a different tale might have to be told. Aberdeen would do well to remember that although close passing and pattern-weaving looks pretty, these tactics do not pay like the open style of play.
Falkirk have vastly improved since they visited Pittodrie early in the season, and few teams will get the better of them at Brockville.

Triers All.

Defensively they are sound, and in Bachelor, Lowe, and Hutchison they have a trio of hardworking half-backs. Bachelor was probably the best player afield. In attack Dougal and Anderson were best, but all were triers. Hope, Brockville's latest capture, made a quite pleasing debut, and is likely to make the inside right berth his own.
Falkirk made the running at the start, and smart work by Gall and Miller saw Smith save smartly from Batchelor.
The Aberdeen attacks were beaten back without Thomson being seriously troubled. and the "Bairns" were soon in Smith's vicinity. Following two corners, Smith held from Miller, and required two attempts to dispose of a Batchelor drive.
Aberdeen retaliated, and Thomson saved from McLean, and a great try by Warnock flashed across the goal and went behind. The Dons held the advantage until the interval.

Brave Defence.

Falkirk took the offensive on the resumption, and the Pittodrie attack was seldom seen in action. The "Bairns" launched attack after attack, but a courageous Aberdeen defence held them until twenty-six minutes had gone. Gall accepted a pass from Batchelor, and, as already stated, his shot cannoned off Falloon's head into the net.
Two and a half minutes later another Batchelor movement saw a Dougal shot diverted past Smith by Cooper. The homesters continued to hold the advantage, but the Dons' goal did not fall again. Near the close Falloon had to retire injured, but will probably fit for Saturday's game.

Source: Press & Journal, 14th November 1932