St. Johnstone 0 - 1 Aberdeen

PENALTY GOAL PUTS DONS INTO CUP FOURTH ROUND

Victory as Narrow as Score Suggests, But Goal Was Worthily Earned

ABERDEEN HAD TO FIGHT HARD

Typical Cup-Tie: Brief Flashes of Good Play by Visitors

A penalty goal, scored thirteen minutes after the start of the second half, saw Aberdeen safely into the fourth round of the Scottish Cup competition at the expense of St Johnstone in the replay at Muirton Park yesterday.

The Dons victory was as narrow as the score suggests, but the goal that won the match was worthily earned. The fact that the all-important goal was scored from a penalty may suggest that Aberdeen would not otherwise have scored. As a matter of fact, the spot kick was conceded by Littlejohn to avert a certain counter.
It came about thus. Mills let Lang away on the left, Wylie left his charge in a vain effort to cut out the ball, and Warnock's header from the winger's cross was entering an empty goal when Littlejohn rushed in to bring the ball down with his hands. Thomson took the spot kick, and while the crowd waited with bated breath, the left-half sent the ball flashing into the corner of the net, despite a brilliant sideways dive by Wylie.
It is likely to prove a golden goal for Aberdeen.
Aberdeen had to fight tremendously hard for victory, and they could hardly have cavilled had St Johnstone gained the right to a third chance. It was a dour, strenuously contested match, with little or nothing between the teams.
It was typical Cap-tie stuff, with only occasional brief glimpses of good football, and, let it be said, that what bright football was seen came from Aberdeen.

Good Football Difficult

The keen tackling, combined with the safety tactics adopted by both defences when danger threatened made good football very difficult.
The ground, too, was not conducive to high-grade play. It was soft on the surface, and when the ball hit the ground it was "killed."
St Johnstone held a territorial advantage in the opening period, but they failed to turn it into goalsi, thanks to a dour Aberdeen defence and the home forwards' lack of finishing power.
The Dons were seen to better advantage after the interval but they also failed to outmanoeuvre the Perth defence. In the closing stages the homesters gambled all in an effort to save the game, and more than once they came within an ace of succeeding.
The Perth players made a strong appeal for a penalty when Thomson charged down a shot by Dickie on the goal-line with Westland out of his charge. Aberdeen's fate hung in the balance. The referee consulted both linesmen. One seemed to be of opinion that a penalty should be awarded but the other differed, and the Dons got the benefit the doubt. It was a dramatic moment.
Aberdeen, too, were unfortunate during this period when Lang was going clean through on his own and was pulled up for offside. During a St Johnstone attack every player, with the exception of Wylie, was in the Aberdeen half the field when the ball was cleared and Lang raced after to gather it and make for goal. Lang seemed to be in his own half of the field when he gained possession, but the referee thought otherwise, and a great chance was lost.
St Johnstone fought a gallant fight, and one cannot but sympathise with them in their hour of defeat. The Dons, however, cannot be grudged their victory any more than Saints could have been grudged a draw. Aberdeen seized their chance - it might just as easily have gone other way.

All Deserve Credit

As for the players, every one deserves credit for a hard display. Some were better than others, but they had this in common that they all gave of their best.
Aberdeen's defence had a gruelling time. There were occasions when luck was with them, but they must be given credit for their never-say-die spirit.
Westland started shakily and had the hearts of the Aberdeen supporters in their mouths once or twice, but the young 'keeper settled down to a steady game and had a number of excellent saves. More than once he went down on the ball fearlessly in the face of the inrushing St Johnstone forwards.
Cooper at times found Caskie, who deputised for the injured Nicholson, difficult to hold, but generally gave him little room to work and made him part quickly.
Tennant was a dangerous right winger, but as at Pittodrie in the first match, he showed a lack of enterprise. He troubled McGill, but not as much as he might have done.
Aberdeen's hero was Falloon. The diminutive centre-half guarded Beattie even more closely than at Pittodrie. The big centre, with his advantage in height and weight, strove desperately to shake off his opponent, but the Irishman stuck to him like a burr. Falloon was a stopper pure and simple, but as such there was no questioning his effectiveness.
Fraser gave a good display, especially in the first half, when he kept a tight rein on McCall and yet contrived to set his own attack going.
Thomson's play was not up to the usual standard but he worked hard for the full ninety minutes, and took the penalty award with rare coolness.
As on Saturday, the attack was for the most part well held by the St Johnstone half-backs. On the few occasions they did get going as a line, however, they were a cut above the Perth quintette.
Armstrong was a nimble and dashing leader, and he kept Littlejohn fully occupied. The inside forwards displayed improved form compared with Saturday, and both lent valuable assistance in defence. In fact, at times it seemed as if they were inclined lie too far back. Mills was responsible for many the Aberdeen attacking movements.
Lang was a dangerous and speedy left-winger, who gave the Saints ' defence a lot of trouble, in the first half. He saw little of the ball after the interval.

Faulty Tactics

The St Johnstone tactics in attack seemed faulty. They did not vary their game enough. They relied too much on Beattie as their match-winner and persisted in playing the ball up the middle. The centre was too well watched to be effective.
Their defence was sound, and Wylie kept a good goal, and Taylor again gave a first-rate display. Welsh was never comfortable against Lang.
Dickie again took the honours at half back. He was one of the most energetic players afield, and he time and again turned defence into attack with a well-placed pass.
Littlejohn guarded Armstrong well, and Ferguson played a strong game.
There was not an attacker of outstanding merit. Adam was strong and forceful at times, and Caskie dangerous on occasion, but not one of the five was consistent. One and all were triers.

The attendance of 21,813 was record Muirton Park. The previous best was in the fourth-round tie with Queen of the South two seasons ago. The receipts, exclusive of stand and tax, were £837 17s.

Source: Press & Journal, 27th February 1936