Aberdeen 2 - 4 Heart of Midlothian

Aberdeen f.c. are still searching for A WINNING TEAM.
Hopes that the changes would produce the desired result were quickly dispelled by Hearts at Pittodrie last night.
The scintillating play of the Tynecastle team in the first half made the Dons look a very ordinary side. Hearts were unquestionably better balanced—surer in defence and more intelligent and cohesive in attack.
Thelr play commanded admiration. They moved at top speed with an elegance and accuracy which always promised to produce goals. It did—four in thirty-one minutes.
Nowhere was the Hearts team's superiority more obvious than at wing half-back and inside forward. Glidden and Laing moved up with the attackers and provided a steady and accurate service.

Struggling

Samuel and Harris were struggling all the time. The fight half couldn't cope with the dashing and dangerous Wardhaugh.
The Tynecastle team's brilliance was dimmed in the second half. The Dons never succeeded in producing the team-work or the individual skill of their rivals, but they certainly fought back after the interval.
They claimed two goals and would have had a third but for the fact that Parker headed out a scoring shot by Samuel in the closing stages. It was sheer determination rather than football skill which brought them their goals.

A Trier

The attack failed to blend, although Paddy Buckley at centre-forward tried hard to instil some rhythm.
The former St Johnstone leader was the best home attacker. He showed any amount of dash, but received little support. Rodger and Hather revealed occasional flashes, but there was a lack of inspiration about the play of both Yorston and Ewen. Martin, Thomson and Mitchell were the Dons’ best defenders. Smith at left back put up a plucky show after a shaky start.
Changes were justified after the Motherwell display, but Hearts proved that last night’s team wasn’t good enough.
The Aberdeen club can only continue their experiments in the hope of unearthing a matchwinning combine. Hopes of the Dons becoming live candidates for the League Cup are rapidly receding.
The vital task now is to find the right answer to their problems before the start of the League competition.
The Dons face Rangers al Ibrox on Saturday. The line up for that game will be awaited with keen interest.
Hearts are a smart team. They played breath-taking football in the first half last night. Their forward line is quick, clever and cohesive. On their display last night the Tynecastle team are going places this season.
They snapped the first of their four Pittodrie goals after twelve minutes’ play. A quick throw-in by Urquhart and Wardhaugh smartly eluded Mitchell’s tackle and crossed for Bauld to glide the ball home with his head.

Like Lightning

Eight minutes later Bauld moved like lightning to pounce on a searching pass from Wardhaugh. Martin made a desperate but vain effort to stop the centre, who finished by sending into an empty goal.
Within two minutes Rutherford evaded Smith. Conn's shot from the cross was bound for the net when Thomson, on the goalline, took over the mantle of Martin.
Parker made no mistake from the penalty spot. Rutherford completed the total when he scored from close in after Martin had parried a shot from Conn.
The Dons staged a fight back in the second half. In the first twenty minutes they had Hearts worried. After twelve minutes’ play Milne handled a shot from Yorston and Ewen netted the penalty kick.
Yorston claimed the second goal after a free kick from Smith had been headed out. The inside right's shot entered the net off the post.

Source: Evening Express, 14th August 1952