Aberdeen 4 - 0 Motherwell

MOTHERWELL TAKE DRUBBING

SMITH THE MATCHWINNER

Aberdeen are an improving team. Since the start of the year they have played, and won three matches and have scored nine goals and conceded none.

Against Motherwell at Pittodrie on Saturday they were good winners. They were the better balanced side - sounder in defence and more cohesive and thrustful in attack.
The Lanarkshire team gave a poor display and never looked like sharing, let alone gaining, both points. Their defence was too easily opened up, and the forward line did not knit together.
Motherwell played hard, but their football was of a surprisingly poor standard. What football was played came from the Dons, who, although perhaps flattered by a 3-0 lead at the interval, were worthy winners in the end.

THREE IN FIRST HALF

Twenty-seven minutes had gone before Aberdeen opened their account. McKenzie carried the ball down the right before crossing. Both Armstrong and Telfer made desperate efforts to reach the ball, but neither succeeded, and Mills managed to scramble it out to the left, where Smith was waiting to send into the net.
Before Motherwell could recover from this blow the Dons had netted a second goal. Smith raced away on the left, and when Hynds failed to intercept his cross, Armstrong fastened on to beat McArthur.
Mills made the total three just before the interval. Armstrong, Telfer and McKenzie rose to a corner from Smith, and the ball dropped off the inside right to Mills, who promptly drove into the net.
Aberdeen's superiority was even more marked in the second period, but they only succeeded In increasing their total by one. The goal came after twenty-one minutes' play. McArthur and Ellis both went for a cross from Brady, and, while they hesitated, Armstrong nipped in to turn the ball out to Smith, who had nothing to do but shoot into an empty goal.

NICHOLSON SOUND

There has been a marked improvement in the play of the Aberdeen defence since the advent of Nicholson. The former Barnsley player seems to give the other defenders confidence. A strong purposeful player, Nicholson is sound in defence, and, as he becomes accustomed to Scottish football, more may be seen of him in attack. On Saturday, after a somewhat shaky start, he kept a tight grip of Stewart.
Cooper is rapidly recovering his best form. The right back is going into his work with more dash, and his quick tackling and, sound kicking allowed Johnston little scope. McGill is not so speedy as he once was, but he is game and is on his toes the whole ninety minutes.
Johnstone, in goal, had little to do on Saturday, but he was his usual safe self. Fraser and Ritchie were strong in a defensive capacity, but could have been seen more often in attack. Ritchie, who came in for Thomson, is a solid if not brilliant half-back.

RITCHIE SMITH SHINES

The Aberdeen attack played some nice football, particularly Armstrong and McKenzie, but the match-winner was Ritchie Smith, the reserve forward. Not only did he score two of the goals, but he had a hand in the other two. Smith may be lacking in craft, but he has any amount of pluck, and has happy knack of being in the right place at the right time.
Armstrong led the line well and seems to have recovered his best form. He gave Telfer a busy afternoon. McKenzie gave fine exhibition of ball control and clever football. The inside-right gave the Motherwell defence a good deal of anxiety.
Brady, on the extreme right, was a dashing raider, and in the second half especially threatened lot of danger.
Motherwell were an unimpressive team. Weaknesses were exposed in their defence and the attack failed to function as a line. McArthur was a smart 'keeper and Hynds was the better back. Ellis was but a shadow of his real self. The left back was injured early in the second half, but even before this he had been disappointing.
The half-back line could not cope with the Aberdeen attack, and Mackenzie was the best of mediocre trio. In attack Stewart played hard, but did not receive much support, and was well held by Nicholson Stevenson started brightly, but faded into obscurity. Graham might have been dangerous had he had a more enterprising inside partner.

Source: Press & Journal, 10th January 1938