Raith Rovers 2 - 1 Aberdeen

Weak Wing Halves Held Up Attack
By JAMES FORBES

THE news that Third Lanark are prepared to receive offers for four of their players, including two half-backs, will probably be of interest to Raith Rovers, whose players and officials can be forgiven for thinking there is some sort of hoodoo hanging over Stark’s Park.
Just when the arrival of Ernie Copeland from Dundee had made things look brighter, a fighting victory over Aberdeen was achieved at grievous cost.
Andy Leigh, their forceful left half-back, and Malky McLure, a stuffy right back, are likely to be out the game for some time.
If financial conditions permit, Rovers might be persuaded to go for one of the four Third Lanark players being put on the transfer list. They are Harrower, let back: Samuels, centre half-back; Docherty, half-back or inside forward, and Henderson, utility forward.
I imagine the absence of Leigh, who had an arm broken in the game against Aberdeen, will be more keenly felt by Raith than the loss of McLure.
Had Leigh and Young been on the Dons’ side on Saturday the Pittodrie team would probably have continued their scoring frolics of the last month.

Wing-half Weakness

Raith were strongest where the Dons were weakest. Neither Harris nor Allister struck idling game, and it wasn’t until those last desperate fifteen minutes, when the short-handed home team were fighting a rearguard action, that eilher of the visiting wing-halves were seen in an attacking capacity.
While this weakness undoubtedly helped in the transformation of a scoring machine into an attack of mediocre standard, it was not by any means the onlv explanation of the somersault in the Dons’ form.
Paddy Buckley, for instance, had the winning of the match in the first half. He delayed his shot the first time and the ball hit Johnstone’s legs, and on the second occasion he was put through by Hamilton only to shoot wildly.
His second half goal scarcely atoned for these misses and the fact that he was again prone to be caught offside. Hamilton was the best of the attack, while Hay got through a tremendous amount work in defence. But is that his job?

Gaps in Defence

During the Dons' recent winning run there were signs of weakness in defence, and it would be idle to pretend that all the gaps have been plugged.
Martin could claim that he was fouled when the first goal was scored, while Mitchell had an uncomfortable time agianst the unorthodox Penman in the second half.
Alec Young fought doggedly to hold the effervescent Copeland, but could not prevent the centre scoring the goal he so richly deserved.

Source: Evening Express, 10th November 1952

Black armbands were worn at this match in memory of goalkeeper Frank Watson who had recently died of polio.