Aberdeen 2 - 2 East Fife

AGAINST East Fife at Pittodrie on Saturday the Dons played like a leg-weary team. This was in direct contrast to the visitors who were a bright and breezy lot even when they were two goal down. The Aberdeen players will want to forget this display, and so will their supporters.

What made it worse was that they started brightly enough and were two goals ahead in twelve minutes. The Dons looked like winning in a dawdle.

FIFERS' SHARP THRUSTS

But, from the time they scored their second goal, they gradually fell away, while the Fifers kept delivering sharp thrusts which always threatened to produce goals.
The home defence seemed to be "tired." and their clearances were lacking in snap. This applies to half-backs well as backs. The forwards were little better.
Passes went astray with annoying regularity, and their efforts at close quarters can only be described as puerile. There will have to big improvement if they mean to beat Dundee United, the Cup finalists, on Wednesday evening.
None of the home players is worthy of praise. East Fife had a pair of strong backs in Wilkie and Tait, and Gillies, at right-half, was the best middleman afield. Adams and McLeod, the right wing pair, were a clever and dangerous combination and gave the home defence a lot of trouble.

THE SCORING

Aberdeen opened the scoring in eleven minutes, Pattillo making the most of a neat through pass from Bain. A minute later Wilkie made a faulty pass back to Gibson, and before he could recover Taylor dashed in to whip the ball into the net.
East Fife opened their account in twenty-nine minutes. McLeod made ground on the right and then put the ball over to the other wing. Boag shot hard and Morrison dived forward to head into the net.
The equalising goal came twenty minutes from the end of the game. McLeod ran almost to the bye line before crossing, and Westbrook, standing in the goalmouth, tapped the ball into the net.

Source: Press & Journal, 22nd April 1940