Aberdeen 4 - 2 Partick Thistle

Edited by NORMAN MacDONALD

THE Dons were much perkier on Saturday than they have been for a long time and they were full value for their 4-2 win against Partick Thistle at Pittodrie (writes Joe Cowie).
Particularly satisfying was the display of the forwards, who played with dash and enthusiasm throughout. They favoured the long pass and cut out the frills. Their direct thrusts into the Partick territory always looked dangerous.
All five forwards played well and their success was due to combined effort rather than to the brilliance of any individual.

ALL shared in the making and taking of the goals. Although Tommy Pearson was the only forward not to score he made a valuable contribution by making the opening for the vital first goal, scored by George Hamilton after seven minutes.
At this stage Partick were having the better of the exchanges and had they scored first there’s no telling how the game might have gone.
Partick were certainly a transformed team once they got the taste of goals in the last eleven minutes. As it was, however, this early break gave Aberdeen all the confidence they needed and they settled to a really good game.

THE defence held out well until the closing stages and up till then the number of dangerous shots that were allowed to reach Martin could be counted on the fingers of one hand.
The 'keeper had one good save in the first half from Thomson, the Partick right half, and stopped two good tries from Sharp after the interval.
Partick bad themselves to blame for their forward failings, however. They persisted in close-passing and their inside forwards, Anderson and Sharp, put too much work on the ball. These tactics made them easy victims for the home defenders and practically all their attacks were blotted out before they had a chance coming to anything.

THERE was rapid switch in policy following a goal from Alex. Stott eleven minutes from time, and just what happened to the Aberdeen defence In those closing minutes is difficult to explain.
Partick's sudden inspired onslaught knocked them completely off their balance. They lost two goals within the space of two minutes and it was only by sheer good luck that they did not lose more.
Goals seemed certain to come and the only thing that stopped them was the final blast of the referee's whistle.

It would scarcely have been justice had Partick succeeded in equalising, however. Aberdeen had a firm grip on the game from the time they opened the scoring right up until this final phase.
Kenny Thomson, who had put Stott almost out the game and had done some useful work in halting Partick attacks, suddenly lost sight of the centre with disconcerting results.
Pat McKenna had a fairly good game at right back, after his absence, though he found Waker elusive at times.
Rodger, his partner, did not have a happy time against McKenzie, however.
Tony Harris was the best wing half-hack afield. Strong in defence, he did a lot of useful covering up and was the means of initiating many of the home attacks.

LOWRIE also did well at right half and was as dogged and determined as ever in defence. Half-back is obviously his best position.
Though there was not much to choote between the forwards, Delaney and Hamilton were perhaps the most successful. The right winger put some dangerous balls into the middle, and Hamilton's effective distribution kept the line moving.
The inside forwards, Baird and Yorston, strong and direct, both paid dividends. 
Tommy Pearson’s ball-jugglery did not always come off, but he had one particularly good run in the second half and might have scored with better luck.

Source: Evening Express, 12th November 1951