Aberdeen 2 - 1 Huntly United

Aberdeen A v Huntly United These teams met at Pittodrie on Saturday in the first round of the County Cup. The weather was very unfavourable for football, a slight coating of snow lying all over the pitch, rendering the players foothold very uncertain. The homesters kicked off and immediately pressed, but Hannah intevened and Huntly had a run down. Brebner repulsed them. Freeland carried the ball well down, crossing over beautifully but Wilson missed the chance. After this a spell of interesting midfield play followed, the ball being kicked about in aimless fashion. Thomson broke the monotony by a grand shot at the visitors goal from far out, but Douglas was ready and cleared safely. The A's were pressing continuously, but could not score, the Huntly defence being very sound. Wilson was next prominent with a splendid drive, but the visitors' keeper saved brilliantly, repeating the performance a moment later, when a goal seemed certain. A foul close in looked dangerous for the United but after a scrimmage the ball was sent behind. The visitors' forwards then had a run down. Thomson blocked them neatly, and the homesters right away made tracks for Douglas. Freeland's parting shot was just a foot wide. Another spell of monotonous play followed. A foul close in looked dangerous for theWhites, and offside spoiled another chance for the visitors to open scoring. The Whites again stepped up the running, but weak play in front of goal nullified their efforts. Wilson sent in another rattling shot, which Douglas cleared in marvellous fashion. Huntly then had a look in and Mitehell had a splendid try. The ball struck the inside of the crossbar, and from the press-box seemed to go over the line, but Ritchie fisted out. The game then resumed its usual form with the Whites pressing, and allowing many good chances to fail through bad judgment in front of goal. The Huntly defence however, was also a potent factor in the Whites' non-scoring.
Half-time came with no scoring.
On resuming, the homesters immediately pressed, but Shiach, with an open goal before him shot wildly over. The Whites pressed hard, and after, some clever forward play J. Mackie opened the scoring with a high shot. After this the game was all in the Whites' favour, the visitors hardly ever getting out of midfield, and giving all their attention to defensive work at which they were highly successful. Time and again they repulsed the homesters, Douglas in goal being invaluable to his side, and, getting loyal support from his backs. The A's side was growing worse as time went on. In a scrimmage in front of goal Hannah unfortunately tripped Wilson, but Mackie failed to convert the penalty. The crowd expressed its disapprobation in the usual way. After Huntly had had a run down, and been sent back again, Murphy put the ball through, but from offside position, and a little later J. Mackie did likewise. As time drew near the Whites made a strenuous effort to equalise and at last succeeded, Thomson scoring from well out. The shot was a soft one, and a misunderstanding between the backs resulted in the ball going through. Aberdeen then struggled hard to gain the lead, but it was close on time ere Mackie scored number two from a scrimmage, the final result being Aberdeen 2, Huntly 1.

Notes on the Game.

The weather was far from favourable from the spectators point of view, and a £15 gate was not bad for the day, and also the match.
What's in a name? Huntly's team included 6 local juniors! They were all the most prominent players for the visitors.
Douglas kept a splendid goal. The Aberdeen directorate could have dispensed with Barret had they signed thisn man on.
Hannah gave a great display at back. Henderson also did well but was overshadowed by his partner.
The halves were a poor lot as halves, but they did their share of the defensive work very pluckily. Mitchell was most prominent.
The forwards have a fair conception of the game; but lacked ability to put it to much use.
For the home side Ritchie had a thinking part most of the game and indulged in some dumb-bell exercises to keep himself warm.
Mackie and Brebner were very safe at the back. Mackie assisted the forwards towards the close and scored the winning goal.
The halves played more as forwards for the most part and did a lot of shooting. They were no more successful at this than were the forwards. The forwards' display was, generally speaking, nothing short of disgraceful. They worked fairly in the open, but their ideas of where the goal was were rather hazy.
Freeland performed well and sent in some fine centres, but Macdonald's shooting abilities are on a par with his other powers.
The refereeing of Mr. Thomson does not call for comment. It calls for wonder.
Had the Whites taken all their chances the scores would have been very different.
N.

Source: Bon-Accord, January 21, 1904

Played at Pittodrie on a frost-bound pitch. Teams - Aberdeen: Ritchie; Mackie, Brebner; Ritchie, Thomson, Robertson; Freeland, Murphy, McDonald, Wilson, Shiach. Huntly: Douglas; Hannah, Henderson; Taylor, Mitchell, Finlay; Donald, Gray, Cowie, D. Mitchell, Gordon.

The homesters opened strongly, but the defence was effective. For fully ten minutes the game was contested almost solely by the Aberdeen front rank and the Huntly defence, Douglas in goal being particularly prominent. For a time the Whites literally rained in shots on Douglas, but the custodian was on the alert, and deftly turned aside all manner of drives. As the game proceeded, however, the Huntly forwards were seen to more advantage, Ritchie having to exert himself more frequently. Mitchell from far out got the ball on the run, and driving straight and hard, nearly opening the scoring, the leather striking the lower part of the crossbar. Towards the close the homesters again monopolised the play, but the defence was impregnable.

The Whites resumed in promising fashion, and in a twinkling Douglas was visited. The ball was sent goalwards, and off a rebound from Douglas Shiach with practically an open goal shot wildly. Huntly benefiting from the free kick made good progress, and fully 20yards out J. Mitchell, accepting a pass from the right, sent the ball high into the net, giving Ritchie no chance of clearing. The point served to infuse into the game a vigour which had for some time been conspicuous by its absence. Nettled by the reverse, the homesters with a grand effort again got goalwards, and in the midst of a scrimmage Hannah tripped one of the opposing quintette and a penalty was awarded. The chance to equalise was needlessly thrown away, Mackie, who took the kick, shooting wide of the mark. Considerable excitement prevailed amongst the spectators, who, it was evident, wee far from pleased with their team's display. Time and again they had excellent opportunities, but their finishing was of the most wretched description. Try as they could, they seemed to be able to do nothing right, and when ten minutes from the close they secured a rather surprising goal. It was by no fault of theirs. The ball glided from Henderson into the net, and completely deceived the goalkeeper. A few minutes later Shiach netted the ball in a scrimmage.

Source: Aberdeen Journal, 18th January 1904