Aberdeen 1 - 2 Falkirk

Played at Aberdeen. Falkirk won the toss, and were first to get down towards MacFarlane, where Spence put behind. Aberdeen after a time had more of the play, McNicol and Ellis both sending I good shots, which Pettigrew had difficulty in clearing. Though play was fast and exciting it could not be said that either team was dangerous near goal. Pettigrew saved a strong shot from Strang, and granted a corner. From the clearance, Aberdeen's defence were fairly beaten, and Campbell and Queen easily eluded MacFarlane. Another disaster befell Aberdeen just on half-time, when Spence scored an easy goal. Half-time:- Falkirk, two goals; Aberdeen, nothing. With a two goals lead, Falkirk set off at a spanking pace, Aberdeen's defence wavering under the pressure. It was some time before Aberdeen got settled, but when they did the gave Falkirk's defence a warm time of it. In fact, the second portion was most exciting from a local point of view. Knowles got past Pettigrew with a fine screw. Falkirk than began kicking out, and the game ended with Aberdeen pressing. Result:- Falkirk, two goals; Aberdeen, one goal.

Source: Unknown, probably The Scotsman, 22-08-1904

The Aberdeen club opened their list of fixtures in connection with the Second Division of the Scottish League at Pittodrie, when Falkirk were the visitors. There was a big crowd, the gate receipts amounting ot £110. Falkirk were at full strength, but Aberdeen lacked the services of one or two of their best players - notably D. McNicol and McAulay. The teams were:- Aberdeen: Macfarlane; Willox, Mackie; Halkett, Strang, Low; Knowles, McKay, G. McNicol, Ellis, Johnstone.
Falkirk: Pettigrew; Leishman, Drummond; Scott, Tainsh, Millar; Graham, Cameron, Spence, Queen, Campbell. Referee - J. McLeod, Dumbarton.

The weather was bright and warm when the game started. Falkirk had the best of the opening exchanges, and were soon in the vicinity of the Aberdeen goal. Willox cleared, but Falkirk maintained the pressure until Low transferred play to midfield. Campbell, on the visitors' left wing, had several dangerous runs, but, as a rule, finished weakly. As the result of some hard work on the part of the Aberdeen half-backs, Knowles got away on the right. Getting well up the field, the outside right immediately transferred the ball to his partner, who, in turn, passed to McNicol. Immediately thereafter Ellis found himself in possession when in a favourable position, but his final effort gave the goalkeeper little or no anxiety. At this time McNicol got injured and subsequently changed over to the extreme left, Johnstone taking the inside position, and Ellis that of centre. Several time the local forwards attempted to break through, but Drummond and Leishman kept them in check. Johnston tried Pettigrew from long range, but the goalkeeper easily cleared. A grand run by the Falkirk left wing ended in Spence beating Macfarlane, but the Falkirk player was ruled offside. The Aberdeen right wing gave Drummond plenty of opportunities to show his abilities, but altogether the play on either side was not of a high standard. Indeed, miskicks were of a frequent occurrence, and the shooting of the forwards was decidedly off the mark. The visitors, if anything, were smarter on the ball, and from a combined run by their right wing Cameron shot past Macfarlane from close in, but again the referee upheld the Aberdeen appeal for offside. Drummond was penalized for unfair tactics, and as a result Knowles broke away on the right, and, after Leishman had cleared, Strang made the best attempt so far to lower Falkirk?s colours. Pettigrew, however, caught the ball, and punted down field. Campbell came away beautifully on the left, and as the result of a misunderstanding on the part of the Aberdeen backs the goalkeeper was left unprotected, and Campbell scored an easy goal for Falkirk. Aberdeen made a good attempt to equalise, but their forwards lacked combination, and just before the interval Spence scored a second goal for Falkirk. It was a very simple point, and was the outcome of weak tackling on the part of Willox, the goalkeeper having no chance whatever in stopping the shot.

When the game was resumed, Aberdeen had to face the sun. The first noteworthy incident was a corner to the Aberdeen. Drummond got the ball safely away, and then Mackie was prominent for some very effective play in keeping the Falkirk right wing in check. Ellis and Johnston monopolized the play on the left wing, and although the latter got clear of the opposing half-back on several occasions Leishman and Drummond were generally on the lookout. The display of football, however, showed no improvement on the first half ? in fact, at times developed into a mere scramble for the ball. Try as they could, the Aberdonians could not score. Halkett kept the forwards well supplied with timely passes, and as the result of one of his efforts Ellis mad a capital attempt to open the scoring. Keeping up the pressure, McNicol next had a try, and had hard luck with a fast shot. Graham raced past Low and Mackie in quick succession, and crossed to the left wing, but the ball was sent out of play by Campbell. The second half had been in progress fully half an hour when the Aberdeen obtained their first and only goal. Encouraged by the shouts of their supporters, the whole front rank kept up a continual bombardment on the Falkirk goal, and the ball having been sent across from the left, Knowles made no mistake with a straight drive for goal, which completely beat Pettigrew. Then the struggle for the equaliser began in real earnest. Falkirk were now bent on wasting time, and repeatedly sent the ball out of play. The crowd hooted and jeered at the offending players, but this did not seem to disturb them in the least. Besides, the referee was far too lenient, and as a consequence numerous fouls were passed unheeded. Macfarlane saved twice in succession from Spence and Cameron, while Pettigrew stopped a very fast shot from McKay. Aberdeen had a chance from a corner, but the end came with Falkirk the winners by 2 goals to 1. The match cannot nbe described as a good one, and fell far short of expectations.

Source: Aberdeen Daily Journal, 22nd August 1904