Aberdeen 0 - 2 Rangers

Thornton Lightens Gloom at Pittodrie,/p> IT is so long since Aberdeen won a match that the 2-0 defeat by Rangers on Saturday failed to provide a topic of conversation. Instead, the "post mortem" talk centred in the continued absence of Willie Thornton, Hangers' centre, from Scottish representative teams.

A brilliant goai by the Ibrox centre before the game was a minute old immediately extinguished any faint flicker of hope there might have been that the Dons would provide one the season's shocks. This flash of opportunism apart, Thornton's display again stamped him as one of Scotland's most intelligent players.
His ball control and ability to hold the forward line together threw into bold relief the failure of Aberdeen's latest experiment - the playing of Emery at centre forward.
There wasn't a more wholehearted player afield than the Welshman, but this one game was sufficient to show that he is not the answer to the forward problem.
Emery's display, was, in a way, typical of the whole team. Aberdeen had plenty of spirit, but their play lacked inspiration. They were a side without a plan, and in such circumstances they couldn't hope to beat the confident Light Blue.
Method their Work

Curran, Harris and Williams were the best on the Aberdeen side, Tnomson must be given credit for the manner in which he stuck to the task of holding will o' the wisp Thornton. The home pivot was certainly caught unawares at the first goal, but fought well later.
Hard though Harris tried to get the ball running for the Dons, he didn't have the same measure of success as McColl and Cox, who gave their forwards first-class service.
The wing half-backs, along with Thornton and Young, were the men who attained the standard expected of Rangers throughout the ninety minutes.
But although some of the others didn't measure up to expectations, the side as a whole had some method in their work. The forwards, especially, were quick to move into the open space, but the wingers, Waddell and Rutherford, were prone to spoil good outfield play by holding on too long.

Through the Mill

Most of the excitement occurred in the first twenty minutrs. The crowd had scarcely settled when Aberdeen found themselves a goal down. A needless handling offence bv Ancell gave Rangers a free kick just inside Aberdeen's half of the field.
Cox sent the free kick swirling into goal and Thornton, with excellent anticipation, judged the flight of the ball and guided it well out of Curran's reach. For the next ten minutes the home defence went through the mill, and Curran distinguished himself with saves from Paton and Waddell.
Later the pace slackened, and Aberdeen strove in vain to find a way past the Ibrox outer defences. Their failure to do so is reflected in the fact that Bobby Brown had one decent shot to deal with - a thirty varder from Emery which might have beaten a less agile 'keeper.
Rangers' second goal came in seventy-two minutes. The ball dropped at Paton'g feet following a corner on the left and the inside man slammed it into the net.
He almost repeated the feat later, but McKenna, almost on the goal line, got his head in the way and diverted the fast-travelling ball.

Source: Press & Journal, 14th February 1949