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Aberdeen 4 - 3 Chelsea

HT Score: Aberdeen 2 - 1 Chelsea

Friendly
Aberdeen scorers: Wishart 30, Buckley 37, Buckley 50, Buckley 75.
Chelsea scorers: Smith 26, Clunie 57 (OG), Smith 87.

26/09/1955 | KO: 15:00

Punchful Dons Merit Victory Over English Champions

Mr Ted Drake the Chelsea manager, one of England's greatest pre-war centre forwards, paid Paddy Buckley, the Dons leader, a warm tribute after the challenge match between the Scottish and English League champions at Pittodrie yesterday.
He described Buckley as the most improved centre forward he had seen.
The Aberdeen spearhead, who learned before the start of the match that he had been chosen to play for the Scottish League against Denmark at Copenhagen next month celebrated by scoring a hat-trick against the English club.
Mr Drake was not prepared to make a comparison between Scottish and English football after yesterday's game, in view of the fact that his own team is going through a bad time, but he was generous in his praise of the Dons.
He described the forwards as a fast, forceful line, with two speedy raiding wings and a really promising inside left in Wishart. His final comment was : "I should think that at the moment Aberdeen are, without doubt, the best side in Scotland."

Goal-Hungry

The Dons thoroughly deserved their 4-3 win over the Stamford Bridge side. They were quicker on the draw than their rivals inside the penalty area.
Urged on by their wing halfbacks, Armstrong and Saunders, the Chelsea forwards were mart enough in their approach work, and their lack of success in English League football this season is probably due to the fact that they are not incisive enough at close quarters.
A 20,000 crowd saw lots of clever and entertaining football. The Dons were a greatly improved side compared with Saturday's League game against Dundee.
Much of their success yesterday was due to the strong play of the half-back line. Glen who will accompany Buckley on the Copenhagen trip gave another forceful display at left half.
Clunie made a good job of policing Bentley, and Wilson gave his best display since his promotion to the first team.

Back in Form

Wishart was right back in form after his mediocre display against Dundee. In fact, the forward line as a whole, seemed to have recovered the lost sparkle. They moved quickly and cohesively and were more efficient in the art of goalscoring.
It was the English club, however, who drew first blood, after twenty-seven minutes, when Willemse, their left back, swept the ball into the goalmouth from a free kick. Smith rose neatly to head the ball into the net.
Three minutes later, Aberdeen produced a clever equalising goal. It was Wishart who initiated and finished the movement. Hather and Buckley joined in and it was from the latter's pass that Wishart deftly added the finishing touch.
With thirty seven minutes played Buckley burst into the game with a brilliant second goal. Quick to follow up a through pass from Leggat, he smartly beat Wicks, the opposing centre half, and moved down the right to beat Robertson with a full blooded drive.
The Dons were without Hather when they got their third goal five minutes after the start of the second half. Wishart found Leggat with a crossfield pass and when the right winger lobbed the ball towards the far post Buckley headed home.
Chelsea's second goal, seven minutes later, came as the result of a long pass-back by Mitchell. Martin could only punch the ball against the face of the crossbar. Clunie fell in blocking a shot by Smith and while he was lying on the ground the Aberdeen centre half sent past his own leeper in attempting to clear.
Fifteen minutes from the end Buckley struck a third time when he burst through in partnership with Hather, but one minute from the final whistle Smith scored for Chelsea, from a pass from Armstrong.
Leggat, the Dons right winger, was injured in a tackle in the closing stages, but after the game Mr David Shaw, the Aberdeen manager, told me that the player was all right.

by Norman MacDonald.
Source: Press & Journal, 27th September 1955

Tartan Rugs for Chelsea Players

After the match the Aberdeen club entertained the officials of Chelsea and the players of both teams to dinner. The visitors were presented with tartan rugs, while the English club, in return, presented badges and a Chelsea china plaque.
In the absence of Mr W. Mitchell, chairman of the Aberdeen club, Mr C. B. Forbes, vice-chairman, welcomed the Chelsea party. Mr Pratt replied. Both Mr Ted Drake and Mr David Shaw, the respective club managers, paid tribute to the players.

Chelsea Teamsheet
Bill Robertson, John Harris, Stan Willemse, Ken Armstrong, Stan Wicks, Derek Saunders, Eric Parsons, Johnny McNichol, Roy Bentley, Bobby Smith, Ray Kitchener.
Attendance: 20,000
Venue: Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen
Referee: William Brittle (Glasgow).
Next Match
Rangers
A
15 Dec 2024 / 15:00 / Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow