AGAINST Fulham at Pittodrie today, the Dons were not impressive, and were a goal down in twenty minutes.
A holiday crowd of 16,000 turned out.
Aberdeen were forced to make two changes. Delaney and Harris were suffering from knocks received on Saturday and Bogan and Hay deputised.
The English team included two Aberdonians - Black in goal abd Bowie at inside right.
In the first minute Black failed to grasp a snap shot from Hay, but recovered quickly and retrieved the ball.
Jezzard, the Fulham leader, damaged his right leg in the first visiting raid and moved to the right wing. Thomas took over at centre-forward.
Diverted
A rapid raid by the Dons saw Bogan thrust the ball up the middle. Hamilton flicked it sideways to Yorston and the inside right raced on to shoot. Black was lucky to fling out a foot and divert the ball.
A strong run by Quested set Fulham on the attack again. He parted to Thomas and the deputy leader, with a scissors movement, beat Young and dashed on to bring Martin full length.
At this stage Jezzard and Thomas resumed their normal positions. The former, however, was limping badly and finally retired. Stevens came on as substitute and took over the outside right berth.
It was bright and entertaining football with a holiday atmosphere about it.
Fulham were the more aggressive and a good run and pass Stevens saw Bowie send the ball thundering narrowly over.
Fulham Lead
The English forwards were keen to have a go when they got near goal and in twenty-six minutes they took the lead. Stevens since his arrival had been lively on the right and it was a run and shot by him that led to the goal.
Martin did well to push the winger's try out to the left, but NEWCOMBE was lying in waiting and sent into the net.
The loss of this goal encouraged Aberdeen and they staged several assaults on the Fulham goal. The best effort was a crossfield shot by Hamilton which Black saved smartly.
The Dons were not playing well - not half as well they had played in the first half against Dundee.
Fulham were faster on the ball and more direct in their methods. The Dons showed little initiative at close quarters.
Hamilton made a really gallant effort to level scores just on half time. He dived forward to head a fast cross goalwards. Black saved the situation by pushing the ball against the post.
(Half-time: 0 ?1)
Second Substitute
Fulham had apparently suffered another casualty just before half-time. Thomas was missing from the line-up in the second half.
Campbell took over in the middle. This was the visitors' second substitute.
Two free kicks just outside the penalty area taken by Emery caused a lot of excitement on the terracing but came to nothing.
A fast breakaway by the English team saw Campbell hare up the middle and shoot on the run. Martin became airborne and saved at the expense of a corner. In seventeen minutes Quested sent CAMPBELL away on the right. The winger beat Young can cut in to put Fulham two up.
Source: Evening Express, 24th September 1951
N.B. For some reason the report is incomplete -even i the following day's edition of the EE.