Aberdeen 1 - 0 Hamilton

HAMILTON BEATEN BY SOFT GOAL

TAME AFFAIR AT PITTODRIE

WILLIAMS' PROMISING DISPLAY

Although Aberdeen beat Hamilton at Pittodrie on Saturday, they took little credit from the game. It was poor match between two poor teams, and had the points been divided the Dons would have had no cause for complaint. One could sense in the play of both sides that the season was nearing its close. There was a lack of spirit and snap, and with thrills comparatively few, the crowd got nothing over which to enthuse.

TAME AFFAIR,

Most of the interest was taken from the Aberdeen season when East Fife ousted the Dons from the cup competition. and this was reflected in the play of the team as a whole as well as the attitude of the team's faithful followers, who seemed to have lost their voices. Hamilton were badly in need of the points. They were unlucky not to get one, but if they mean to gain sufficient points to retain First Division status they will have to play a lot better than they did on Saturday. Aberdeen's winning goal was a somewhat lucky affair. It came after nineteen minutes' play, when Smith broke away on the right from a clearance from Nicholson and swung the ball into the middle. There is little doubt that the ball was meant for a cross, but it swerved into the goal. Morgan misjudged its flight, and it passed between his upraised arms into the net. The outstanding feature of the game was the lack of cohesion and driving power in both attacks. Had the play of the respective forward lines been up to First Division standard we would have had more than one goal. The fact that the only goal scored was rather a "soft" affair gives a pointer to the impoverished state of the forward play.

DEFENCES POOR,/p> It was not that the defences were particularly brilliant. In fact, one gained the impression that had either been subjected to severe pressure weaknesses would have been exposed. Johnstone in the home goal was never trouble, and the only occasion he was anything like busy was in the closing ten minutes, when Hamilton were making a last bid to get the equaliser. Nicholson and Cooper were sound in the Aberdeen defence, and it was this pair that was mainly responsible for the holding up of the visiting attack. Temple was none too comfortable against McNeil, and was rather easily beaten at times. The wing halves, Erskine and Dunlop, concentrated too much on defence. They worked hard in this capacity, but failed their duty to their forwards. The attack was disjointed, and never settled to a satisfactory combination. Armstrong was well below his best form, and George Scott was not a patch on the player who gave such an impressive display at Tynecastle. Strauss is not the dare-devil winger of last season. He seems to have lost his virility. Smith on the other wing did little of note.

WILLIAMS PROMISING

Alfred Williams, Aberdeen's new forward from South Africa, did not do badly considering it was his first game Scottish football. Although small, the Springbok is quick on his feet, and once he gains experience he will improve. Hamilton are too near the relegation zone for comfort, and if they mean to escape they will have to show a big improvement on the Pittodrie form. Like Johnstone, Morgan in the Hamilton goal got little to do. Wallace was the better of two backs, who were given too much room in which to work. Half-back honours went to Thomson, who defended well and tried hard to keep his forwards going. Lowe, at centre-half, also did a lot of useful work in defence. McNeil was the best of the attackers, and is a player of real promise. Wilson, at centre, worked hard, but got little support. His inside partners were weak.

Source: Press & Journal, 28th March 1938

N.B. Afred Williams was more usually known as Stan Williams. This appears to be the only report that calls him Alfred.