Aberdeen 3 - 1 Morton

Dons Lose the Iniative in Second Half

ABERDEEN'S prospects of qualifying for the match-play stages of the League Cup are quite promising, but here is still some concern over the play of the team.

A 3-1 win over Morton at Pittodrie was satisfactory so far as points-gathering is concerned, but the Dons have often played much better and had less to show for it.
The encouragement of two early goals should have been sufficient to put Aberdeen in a commanding position for the rest of the game.
They missed chances, however, and in the second half they lost the initiative when Morton started their all-out bid to save a point.
Mochan moved to centre and snapped a goal four minutes after the restart. For the next half-hour the Pittodrie defence was flying distress signals, and it was left to Johnstone and Thomson to turn the tide.
The 'keeper had many splendid saves, while the young centre half was the coolest member of the defence.
He saw to it that Mochan got no more chances and gradually the home team weathered the storm. It wasn't until Hamilton got a third goal that the danger was really over.

Trouble on Left

The Pittodrie defence as a whole didn't look at all safe during Morton's period of ascendancy. Most of the trouble originated on the left after Liddell had switched from centre to partner Orr. McKenna had an unhappy time against the former Queen's Park player, while Emery had less difficulty in dealing with Alexander.
Morton had a decided advantage at half-back, where Campbell ana White were ready to come through with the ball and usually parted to advantage. Waddell and McLaughlin, the Aberdeen pair, gave their forwards poor support and spoiled their defensive play by a tendency to crowd into the centre of the field.
Hamilton and Stenhouse put some shine on an otherwise lack-lustre display by the home attack by the efficient manner in which they took their goals. Otherwise they were not particularly impressive, and half Stenhouse's value is being lost by playing him at forward instead of at half back.

Harris Best

Pearson and Williams might have taken a lesson from Liddell, who wasted no time in slinging the ball across after beating his man. Both the Pittodri« wingers were over-elaborate.
Harris was the best of the forwards. He didn't present any direct threat to Cowan, a splendid goalkeeper, but his distribution was intelligent and he had a part in all three goals.
The first occurred in the eleventh minute. Waddell lofted the ball goalwards and Harris headed it to his left, where Hamilton smartly beat a defender and gave Cowan no chance.
A speculative lob by Williams produced a second goal five minutes later. Harris beat Whigham to the jump and Stenhouse took the ball as it dropped and shot home.
Morton's solitary counter went to Mochan, who has scored all h's side's goals in the competition so far. Johnstone managed to stop the Greenock man's first scoring attempt, but the ball was not properly cleared and Mochan made no mistake with his second try.
With twelve minutes to go the Dons were awarded a free kick. Waddell placed to Harris, who headed the ball down for Hamilton to run forward and shoot into the corner of the net.

Source: Press & Journal, 27th September 1948

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