Aberdeen 1 - 1 Rangers

Hay And Leggat Missed
By NORMAN MACDONALD

IT IS THE DONS’ HALF-BACKS WHO MUST BE GIVEN TOP MARKS FOR THE DRAW AGAINST RANGERS, AND THE MEDAL FOR MOST DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MUST BE PINNED ON JACK ALLISTER’S SHIRT.

I doubt if the right half has ever played better since he joined the Pittodrie staff from Chelsea. He was strong and aggressive in attack, and it was fitting that he was entrusted with the penalty kick which saved the day.
There have been many more thrilling and attractive football matches between Aberdeen and Rangers than we saw on Saturday. Both attacking machines spluttered and misfired frequently.
The Dons had an excuse. They were without Leggat and Hay, and this pair were badly missed. The line did not move smoothly, and gone was the finishing power which had brought Aberdeen sixteen goals in the previous four games.
Rangers brought in Thornton, Paton, and Hubbard in an effort to stop the Ibrox rot. The plan could not be written down as a success. It seems that Rangers will require an infusion of new blood if they are to regain their former glory and retain the Scottish League flag.

Waddell Menace

Where would Rangers have been without Willie Waddell? The right winger was a one-man menace. He provided several gilt-edged chances in the opening stages which an up-to-standard Ibrox forward-line would have turned into goals. The Light Blues could have won the game during this period.
Smith could not cope with the Ibrox "flier" in the first half. He was a bit more successful after the interval, when he cast aside the timidity which seemed to trouble him in the opening period.
Thornton retains much of his old magic on the ball, but he does not possess his old speed and nippiness. There were occasional flashes from Paton and Hubbard, but the light Blues are still in search of an effective forward formation.

Name Taken

The only Aberdeen attacker who threatened to do any real damage was Hather, and he was opposed to a grand defender in Young. The big right back became unpopular with the crowd when he had his name taken during the penalty incident, but that doesn't alter the fact that he was Rangers’ coolest and most accomplished defender.
Kelly, who got his chance at inside left, has football ability all right, but he found the tempo of "A" Division soccer a trifle too fast.
Boyd was not so effective as Leggat on the right wing. Yorston tried hard without achieving much success. Buckley, next to Hather, caught the eye most frequently in the Dons’ front rank.
I think the centre-forward would have scored when he was brought down by Niven, the Rangers goalkeeper. The Ibrox players evidently protested on the grounds that the incident happened outside the penalty area, but the linesman seemed in doubt when consulted by the referee.

Source: Evening Express, 9th November 1953