Aberdeen 5 - 1 Portsoy

Portsoy Thistle made a brave show against Aberdeen in the county final at Pittodrie. He never looked like a winning - thanks to a poor finishing forward line - but they were plucky losers, and more than their own supporters were disappointed with the result. The defenders certainly did not deserve so heavy a fall as a defeat by 5 goals to 1. F. Grant, the goalkeeper, played smartly, and J. Grant and McLennan, at back, got through a tremendous amount of work. The reserves were a goal ahead within 3 minutes of the opening, and it took them almost an hour longer to increase their advantage. It is true that did not appear to exert themselves over much, yet when the dead set themselves to the task of breaking down the Portsoy rear guard they found their work cut out for them. C. Neilson and Brown, the former with fieldwork and the latter with his shooting boots to clinch the preliminaries, were the only forwards who could make any impression. The Aberdeen backs found the visitors' forwards speedy, and had their finishing been anything like equal to their vigour in other departments, Greig would have had a lot more to do. Occasionally, both in the half-back and the forward lines, there was good individual play, and it was purely through lack of combination an understanding that they did not Pierce the home defence long before they did. As it warms, more than once they were within an ace of spending a rude surprise upon an overconfident opposition.

BEATEN BUT NOT DISGRACED

At the close of the match the cup and medals were presented by Mister J. Donald, president of the association, who said he thought Aberdeen had got a fright from Portsoy.
Mister T. Duncan, president of the Aberdeen F.C., in accepting the cup, hoped that Portsoy would meet with better success next time they played in the final.
Baillie Gray, Portsoy, replied on behalf of the losers, and thanked the association and Aberdeen FC for their kindness. He was struck with the sportsmanlike behaviour of the crowd, and delete Portsoy would be the better of that day's experience in meeting opponents of such calibre. They were beaten, but, he shot, not disgraced. (Applause.)

Source: Aberdeen Daily Journal, 15th April 1912