Heart of Midlothian 3 - 1 Aberdeen

Aberdeen's attack on Hearts' home record did not prove as strong as was generally anticipated, and the Edinburgh team deservedly beat the Dons by three goals to one. The victory will taste doubly sweet to the maroons by the fact that at Pittodrie earlier in the season the Dons triumphed by 3-0. Although showing little change in personnel, Hearts are a much improved team since then. They are as strong as ever in defence, and displayed more punch in attack. The Edinburgh team have a record to be proud of at Tynecastle, having beaten Motherwell, Rangers, and now Aberdeen, and it will take a good team to lower their colours at home.

Disappointing Dons

The Dons were frankly disappointing It was a miserable day, with heavy ground and a greasy ball. Hearts were more suited than Aberdeen to these conditions, and, playing cohesive and open football, they were the more impressive combination throughout. The Dons played confidently in the outfield, but somehow or other they never appeared to be able to put the finishing touch to their work. The fault of the Aberdeen attack was that they would persist in holding on to the ball far too long. Had they passed more quickly they would have spreadeagled the Hearts' defence and had more scoring chances.
Beattie and Mills were the biggest sinners in this respect. The ex-Bridgeton Waverley player displayed clever touches, and his goal was a well-taken effort, but Beattie had an off day. He worked like a Trojan, but nothing he did seemed to meet with success, and his tendency to hang on to the ball only made patters worse.

Love Uncomfortable

Love, on the left, was the least successful of the Aberdeen forwards, however. Although he never stopped trying he did not appear to be comfortable on the left side of the field and got across few dangerous centres. Warnock at outside-right was accurate in his crossing, but was too easily knocked off the ball by the Tynecastle defenders. Armstrong was well watched by J. A. Johnstone, and was rarely dangerous. He is plucky but he has not Moore's positional sense or the faculty of keeping the line together. Falloon, for a grand defensive display, must be given the honours at half-back for Aberdeen. Strangely enough, the Irishman, who is rarely indeed seen past the centre line, was indirectly responsible for Aberdeen's goal. Fraser was a good constructive half, and O'Reilly played well in defence, but as a line they were not to be compared with the Hearts' trio.

Smith at His best

Smith in goal, showed a return to his best form, and but for this the Dons might have lost by a bigger margin. Cooper was again the better of two fairly good backs, but neither kicked with any great degree of accuracy.
In a first class Hearts defence O'Neill, at left back, was outstanding. Massie, J. A. Johnstone, and Bennie comprised a grand half-back trio, and were a big factor in Hearts success. Massie was one of the cleverest players afield. In attack none did better than Murray, who, along with Smith, made a dangerous and speedy left wing.

Goals Described

Hearts showed to advantage at the start, and in the opening minutes Smith left his charge to block a sure counter by Coutts. A goal was about due when, in the seventeenth minute, Smith found the net. Massie started the movement and after Cooper had failed to get rid of Johnstone's cross, Smith piloted the ball into the net. The Dons rallied, and in half-an-hour came the equaliser. Falloon charged upfield and let drive; Mills stopped the ball and whipped it into the net before the Hearts defence realised the danger. Four minutes later Anderson scored the most spectacular goal seen at Tynecastle this season. The right back gathered a loose ball in his own half of the field, and, after shaking off a challenge by Mills, drove the ball into the net from thirty yards.

From a Penalty

With three minutes of the second half gone Coutts increased the home team's lead from a penalty. It came about this way. Murray, after beating three men, was well set up to score when McGill beat him down in the penalty area, and the referee granted a penalty award to the homesters. Except for spasmodic raids, little was seen of the Aberdeen attack, but the defence succeeded in repelling Hearts' determined assaults.

Source: Press & Journal, 12th December 1932