A Tired Team Comes to Grief Against Hearts
By NORMAN MACDONALD,/p>
I DON'T believe the Dons can play worse than they did at Tynecastle. Hearts' 4-0 win in no way exaggerated the Edinburgh team's superiority.
There was simply no resemblance between the Scottish Cup winning team and the Aberdeen eleven of Saturday. Not even the colours the Dons wore dark-blue shirts with white sleeves.
This was their last game of the season. It was rather an anti-climax.
The past three months has been a strenuous period for the Pittodrie players. They are beginning to feel the effects. Anyhow, they certainly played like a tired team at Tynecastle.
Only for a brief spell midway through the second half did the Dons tread on the accelerator. For the rest they were moving only at half throttle.
During this period of ascendancy Baird and Hamilton struck the woodwork. Hearts were only temporarily shaken and quickly resumed the mantle of dictators.
It wasn't as if the Dons' fall from grace could be traced to any player or department - the whole team played badly.
Seventeen-year-old Frank Watson in goal played soundly and distinguished himself with a number of really fine saves. He was not immune from criticism, however, when McCrae scored Hearts' third goal three minutes after the restart.
McKenna To Blame
McKenna was to blame in the first instance. From a free kick he misdirected a pass back to the 'keeper and conceded a corner. Watson left his charge, but failed to cut out Sloan's flag kick and it was easy for McCrae.
Ralph McKenzie, who took Dunlop's place at centre half, had an unhappy experience. Two minutes after the start he was slow in going to make a clearance and this enabled Kelly to make an opening for Conn to open the scoring. McKenzie allowed this mistake to affect his play.
It was only when the Dons rearranged their formation in the second half that they started to move with any power or rhythm. It was too late. The damage was done. Hearts had a four goal lead.
As centre half, Waddell had a steadying influence on the defence. McKenzie went to right back and Cowie moved to right half, where he worked hard to force on play.
Harris Hurt
Fifteen minutes from the end Harris received a knock on the back of the head and had to retire to the pavilion suffering from slight concussion.
The Aberdeen forwards were patchy, erratic and lacked a plan of campaign. They permitted the Hearts' defence to take the initiative.
The Dons won't be seen in action again until August. The players need a rest. Let's hope when they take the field again they will be a rejuvenated side, full of the vim, vigour and vitality that was missing at Tynecastle.
I was under the impression that one of the linesmen signalled for offside when Kelly scored Hearts' second goal just on half-time. The referee consulted the linesman and then allowed the goal to stand.
Smart work by Sloan and Conn on the right wing paved the way to the Edinburgh team's fourth goal, scored bv Kelly fourteen minutes after the start of the second half.
Source: Press & Journal, 19th May 1947