Ayr United 3 - 3 Aberdeen

ABERDEEN CAN BE COMMENDED

NICHOLSON STRIKES BEST FORM

A DRAW was a good result to the Ayr United-Aberdeen match at Somerset Park yesterday. The football served up was only of a moderate standard, but this was compensated for to some extent by the enthusiasm and keenness of both teams.
Thrills were not lacking, and they were not confined to one end. Six goals were scored and chances were missed by both sets of attackers.

HEAVY STRAIN

The Dons evidently felt the strain of playing three matches in four days. The spirit was there, but some of the sparkle had departed from their play. Still, they have done quite well to take four points from a possible six with two of the games away from home.
The defence had lost some of its confidence. Johnstone in goal was A 1, but neither Cowie nor Adey was as effective in recent games.
The right back seemed to be suffering from a knee injury received against Arbroath, and never succeeded in subduing Thow, the Ayr left winger.
Fortunately for Aberdeen Nicholson struck top form in the second half. He did not start too confidently, but after the interval he rattled into the opposition in great style.
Dunlop and Thomson also did good work defence, but they had few opportunities of backing up the attack. Thomson was the more successful.
As against Arbroath on Monday. Biggs and Hamilton were the best of the attackers, but they were not so effective in the Pittodrie game.
Biggs covered a lot of ground. He was often back assisting in defence and carried the ball through to start many attacks. He was inclined, however, to hold the ball too long.

PATTILLO ENERGETIC

The Dons had an energetic leader in Pattillo. but the reserve centre lack's experience. This was particularly obvious in his failure to position himself advantageously. Warnock was the better winger. Strauss again being below form.
Ayr were handicapped by an injury to Currie, their centre half. He was hurt when the Dons opened the scoring and had to go outside right.
In Hall, the home team had a good 'keeper. Dyer at right back kept Strauss quiet and Ross and Mayes were a pair of good halves. Both revealed cleverness in forcing on the attack.
McConnell, Gemmell and Thow were the pick of the forwards. McKenzie, the former Aberdeen player, did good work both in attack and at half-back.
Ayr United started the game as if they intended to carry all before them. They had the Aberdeen defence back on its heels, but wasted their chances.
McKenzie twice came within an ace of scoring in the early stages. Ayr had been making the running and it came as something of a surprise when Aberdeen took the lead in twenty-four minutes.

EQUALISER FROM SPOT

Strauss and Biggs did the leading up work and Hamilton ran through to beat the home 'keeper with a neat flick. Ayr thoroughly deserved the equaliser, which came from a penalty two minutes from the interval.
Thow was pulled down inside the area and M'Connell netted from the spot. Before the half-time whistle, however, Aberdeen regained the lead. Biggs opened up the home defence and put Warnock in possession. Pattillo met the winger's cross on the run and Hall had no chance.
The Dons were unfortunate in the early stages of the second half, when Pattillo went through and netted after the whistle had gone for a foul against an Ayr defender.
In four minutes Yardley put the home team on level terms from a corner by McConnell and six minutes later Ayr took the lead. McConnell scored from cross from Currie. An appeal by Aberdeen for offside was ignored.
The Dons quickly drew level, Thomson scoring from a free-kick taken by Dunlop. Strain saved a certain goal when he cleared on the line after Hall had left his charge to deflect a shot by Pattillo.

Source: Press & Journal, 4th January 1939