Aberdeen 4 - 1 St. Johnstone

Injury to Beattie Hampers Saints

SOME BRILLIANT PASSAGES

An injury to Beattie, their centre forward, disorganised the St Johnstone attack, and they were a well beaten team at the finish of the match at Pittodrie.

Beattie received an ankle injury midway through the first half, and was in the pavilion until the interval, when he resumed at outside right. He was more or less a passenger in the second period.
Aberdeen, too, had to reorganise their right flank, as the result of a shoulder injury to Cooper, but they did not allow this to affect them so badly as was the case with St Johnstone.
Cooper went to outside right, Beynon took the inside berth, McKenzie went to the right half and Dunlop to right back. The Saints' attack in the second half was Beattie, McLaren, McCall, Ferguson and Nicholson.
A high wind also played its part in making good football difficult. Play was scrappy at times, but on other occasions there were some brilliant passages. Aberdeen adapted themselves to the conditions better than their opponents. The Dons were more solid in defence, and carried more power in attack. They finished worthy winners.

Against the Wind

Despite the fact that they faced the wind, Aberdeen took the lead in five minutes, when Beynon cleverly beat Clark and parted for Strauss to drive into the net.
The loss of Beattie seemed to spur the Perth men to greater efforts, and in thirty minutes they drew level. Falloon failed to clear a Nicholson pass and McCall seized the chance to find the net.
Aberdeen were a more impressive company in the second half, and in seven minutes they regained the lead. Beynon headed down a Thomson lob, and Armstrong first-timed the ball into the net with his left foot.
Fourteen minutes later a mix-up in the Saints' defence led to a third goal. It was left to Wylie to clear a hefty up-field punt by Dunlop, but before he could reach the ball Strauss dashed in to loft it over his head into the net.
Seven minutes from the end McLaren fouled Thomson inside the penalty area, and Mills netted from the spot kick.

Dunlop Takes Honours

Aberdeen's defence was sound. Smith did all that was required of him, while Cooper and McGill were a pair of steady backs.
The half line generally had the measure of the St Johnstone attack. The honours in this department go to Dunlop, who gave a clever exhibition in the first half and pulled his weight when he went to right back. With Fraser fit again the Aberdeen directors will he faced with a difficult problem this week.
Thomson played a steady, if not brilliant, game at left half, and Falloon worked hard, although he was at fault when St Johnstone scored.
The attack moved well at times, especially in the second half. Although closely attended by Moulds during the whole game, Armstrong kept the line together and took his goal smartly. Beynon, both at outside and inside right, was always dangerous, but McKenzie, although he was a hard worker, did not reveal his best form.
Mills was more enterprising than In recent matches, and Strauss once again proved his abilities as a match-winner. The South African has an excellent record for an extreme winger. He has scored twelve goals in eleven matches.

Visitors' Defence Wavers

St Johnstone's defence put up a plucky fight, but was inclined to waver under pressure in the second half. Wylie could not be blamed for the defeat and had a number of good saves, but Welsh and Clark never got a grip of the Aberdeen wing men.
Moulds was a strong defender, and Dickie, a former Don, gave a grand display. The left half played a big part in holding the Aberdeen attack in the first half.
The attack was never happy after the injury to Beattie, and their fleeting raids rarely threatened danger. McCall tried hard to get the line working together, but met with little success, and McLaren was the only other forward who impressed as likely do any damage.

Source: Press & Journal, 26th October 1936