Celtic 2 - 1 Aberdeen

Played at Celtic Park, before 8000 spectators. Celtic attacked early, but Boyle eventually cleared, and Lennie carried play to Celts' end, where Edgar had a good chance. The Celtic forwards got down again, and for almost half an hour the ball bobbed in front of MacFarlane, who effected some fine saves. The resolute tackling by Boyle and Gault upset the home forwards, whose shooting was often at fault. Near half-time Aberdeen got away again, and forced several corners without result, although on one occasion Adams was lucky to clear. Half-time:- no scoring. On resuming, Aberdeen pressed momentarily, but Celts soon settled down, and Bennett scored after four minutes' play. Clever combination by Haxton and Lennie opened out the game for a time, but the left winger's centres were invariably caught up by the home halves. Aberdeen's goal again underwent a perfect siege. Shot after shot was scraped clear somehow, even the referee in one instance stopping what looked like a certainty. Somers eventually scored a second goal for Celts. In the closing minutes Aberdeen rallied, and McKinley scored just on time. Result:- Celtic, two goals; Aberdeen, one goal. Celtic - Adams; McLeod, McNair; Young, Wilson, Hay; Bennett, McMenemy, Quinn, Somers, Templeton. Aberdeen - MacFarlane; Boyle, Gault; Halkett, Strang, Low; Edgar, Ward, McKinley, Haxton, Lennie. Referee, Mr Riddell, Edinburgh. Gate, £327.

Source: The Scotsman, 1906-10-15

It was generally recognized when Aberdeen travelled to Glasgow on Saturday to meet the Celtic for First League honours, that they would require to put out their best effort to avoid a crushing defeat. The northern eleven travelled at full strength, with the exception of Henry Low in the half line, and his place was taken by Wilfred Low. The teams turned out as follows:-
Celtic: Adams; McLeod, McNair; Young, Wilson, Hay; Bennett, McMenemy, Quinn, Somers, Templeton.
Aberdeen: MacFarlane; Boyle, Gault; Halkett, Strang, Low; Edgar, Ward, McKinley, Haxton, Lennie.
Referee - Mr. D. Riddell, Edinburgh.

Celtic kicked off in the face of a very strong end-to-end wind, but notwithstanding this handicap they were actually aggressors, and the Aberdeen goal was rather lucky to escape downfall, after a brilliant centre from Templeton, who, on the extreme left, was a continuous source of anxiety to the visiting defence. Another brisk attack on the Aberdeen goal gave Quinn an opening, but his shot was feeble, and Macfarlane cleared easily. Lennie lead the Aberdeen attack, and from his centre Edgar got a good chance. His shot went direct for goal, but McLeod got in the way, and the ball travelled behind. The corner was well placed, and so keen was the pressure that McLeod was again forced to give away another corner, which only served to let Templeton away. Play was now around the Aberdeen posts, and after a couple of well-judged corners a perfect bombardment took place almost under the Aberdeen goal bar. Bennett was next under observation, the right winger travelling at express speed down the line, and finishing with a magnificent centre, the ball crossing the goal, and going behind at the off post. A feature of the play was the rare work accomplished by the Aberdeen defence. At times the pressure was terrific, and in keeping their goal intact Boyle and Gault deserved much praise. Templeton had the ball placed to his foot from Hay, and, with a clear field, he showed the visitors' defence a clean pair of heels, and to avert disaster Boyle conceded a corner, which, although placed right into goal, only served to demonstrate the power of the visitors' defence. Lennie was, indeed, Aberdeen's only forward, the old Maryhill lad being in a class by himself, and had Ward shot with any force, a score would have followed after a great centre from the left winger. Grand work by Strang kept McMenemy and Quinn from making headway when they were well placed, and Gault, in order to prevent Bennett getting off, had to kick into touch. The Aberdeen forwards were always kicking the ball too far ahead, with the result that the Celtic defence got numerous three kicks. Even Adams had no difficulty in leaving his goal and going out to intercept a centre by Lennie and clearing. McMenemy gave Templeton to a fine opening, and Macfarlane affected a marvellous save with Quinn in close attendance. He cutely tipped the ball over the bar when all the odds were against him getting his hands on the ball. Immediately after the corner had been taken and cleared, the whistle sounded for half-time, there being no scoring.

On resuming the visitors and showed grand form, and were somewhat unfortunate in losing our goal after five minutes' play, owing to Boyle failing to catch up a centre from the left. Then it got the ball, and, dodging ahead, sent in a terrific shot, which Macfarlane touched, but could not prevent going between the posts. A few minutes later the Celts had a second goal, but this time Bennett was given off side. From a throw in Hay made a miskick, and McLeod failing to clear, Adams rushed out of his goal. Lennie rushed ahead, and seemed to have the goal at his mercy, but Adams intercepted the ball, much to the delight of McLeod, who had made the miskick which all but let his side down. The Celts, by good combination, outwitted the visitors' halves. The ball was tipped back to Young, who kicked it in such a reckless fashion as to send it yards wide of the goal. Combining nicely, the visitors made a very tricky run, with Lennie figuring as the chief operator, and finished with a hard shot, the ball going all the way as it left his foot, but a little outside of the near post. Young again distinguished himself with another reckless drive for goal after some grand forward play by Bennett and McMenemy. A grand Troy by Halkett was saved by Adams, and Templeton, getting an opening, sped away on the wing, only to have his final pass - intended for Somers - intercepted by Boyle. The Celts, however, kept up the attack, and not until Lennie cleared with a hook kick into the centre of the field did the Aberdeen cleared their lines. Again Lennie got on the ball and tested Adams with a long shot. After some more delightful play by Templeton, Somers, and Quinn, Edgar and Ward broke away, and Adams was again called upon. He cleared, but the visitors still pressed home the attack until McMenemy and Bennett got away. Boyle, running across from the right, stopped them and sent the ball out to Lenny, but it went into touch. Then Templeton got on and tried Macfarlane unsuccessfully with a rocket drive from close quarters. The ball dropped at McMenemy's feet, and he did as he had previously done - lift and it right over the bar. Gault stopped the ball with his hand outside the penalty line. Young took the free kick, and just as McKinley was getting away Hay fouled him. Somers was the next to get possession of the ball, and he tipped it to Templeton, who, the minute he got it, drove it hard along the ground, but Boyle stopped the progress of the ball by sending it into touch. Again Macfarlane executed a magnificent save from McMenemy, who made no mistake this time in driving for goal. A corner followed, it was taken by young, but he sent the ball far behind the bar. The Celts rearranged their attack, Bennett going inside, but even this had not the desired effect, so resolutely did Boyle, Gault, and Macfarlane defend. The visitors' forwards, by find play, the specially on the part of the left wing, opened up the game, and Young, Wilson, and McLeod got plenty of difficult work to negotiate. From a throw in by Low to, Lennie banged the ball to wards goal. A huge slice of luck now came the way of the visitors. Templeton centred accurately from the touchline; one Bennett drove four goals; and the referee being in the way, the ball struck him and rebounded into play, when Macfarlane would've had no chance of saving. He did save later, however, from a splendid try by Young, after the ball had struck the far post from a free kick. He was cleaned beaten, however, by Somers, who sent the ball into the far corner but if his reach. After a slight mishap to Lenny, Ward met with an injury, and had to be attended to, the game meantime having to be stopped. After the game had been restarted, the visitors played hard for goal, and it came from a fine centre by Lennie. McKinley met the ball, and breasted it past Adams. Immediately after the kick-off time sounded.

Source: Aberdeen Daily Journal, 15th October 1906

Another Record Gone.

To be able to run the team of the year to a goal is no mean performance. Those who were present will readily admit the Celts had the major portion of the attack, but Aberdeen's defence stuck to their work gamely and prevented the home side fror scoring. Bennet, who made his first appearance for Celts, was greatly in evidence, and his eagerness for the ball frequently landed him in contact with a defender; not only that, but he got so far in front of the others that his centres were of no use, Macfarlane always being on the spot. "Mac" was in grea form - he anticipated every move of the attack in the first half to a nicety. His instructions to the backs were carefully carriei out, and thus complete understanding was the means of Aberdeen having a clean sheet at half-time. Aberdeen's forwards were for a bit not in the game, but once they saw that the defence was all right, they gave the Celts defence a fairly anxious time of it. Once or twice Adams had to stretch himself as actively a "Rab" did, one shot of Lennie's being turned round the post miraculously. Bennet opened the score with a perfect beauty and why he was penalised when he repeated this only the referee knows. Ward and Edgar made their presence felt for some time, the latter showing well in his new position, but it was the hardest of luck on Lennie when he missed by inches a cross fron his old partner. Somers had the second goal, but the credit really belonged to Templeton, and just before the finish Lennie squared and McKinley beat Adams and the Celtic League record. It would have been no surprise to anyone had Aberdeeen equalised, for during the last ten minutes they had Celtic's defence on a string.

The Players.

The outstanding men on the Celtic side were Templeton asc Bennet, and a heavy half-back line who overshadowed Aberdeen's light-weights while the breeze blew hard. Tom Strang kept a watchful eye on Quinn and never left him alone in close proximity to goal, so that the Celts' famous centre did not get all own way. McLeod was fluky in his kicks, McNair being the better of the two. The Granite City defence made a favourable impression, and had the forwards possessed more confidence in themselves they might have taken away a point with them. Lennie and Edgar on the wings easily carried the honours, with M'Kinlay and Ward close up. Halket shone best in the mid line, though there was very little to pick and choose between them. At all events Aberdeen made a very creditable appearance at Parkhead and their loss by the odd goal speaks for itself.

On the Right Track.

Some will be pleased now that the Aberdeen directors have shown that they are after new men by the appearance of one at Pittodrie on Saturday. That Ramsay played good football on such a day no one will deny, the only question arising being, is he fit for first-class football? In our opinion he lacks the inclination necessary for a place in the first team, and is too light for a hard season's work. There is good football in the lad, but he has not the versatility of moves that Lennie has got; neither does possess the speed. As we hear there are other candidates on list, we defer making any further comments till we see them.