Aberdeen 3 - 1 Airdrie

Aberdeen "A" accomplished very good performance at Pittodrie on Saturday by defeating the strong-going Airdrie reserve eleven by 3 goals to 1. Although distinctly lucky to win by so large a margin, the homesters gave a bright display and took advantage of their chances. What made their win all the more meritorious was the fact that both Aberdeen's extreme wing positions in the forward line and the left back berth were filled by newcomers.
A regrettable feature of the game was the fact that rough play predominated for a large portion of it, and for this the visitors were in the main responsible. They started the shady tactics early in the game, and it was only human nature for the homesters to try to hold their end up in this connection. They succeeded all right, but it was only in the nature of things that the game should at times resemble a dog fight. The referee, Mr J. Martin, Glencraig, could have been a little firmer in his handling of the players, and all of his decisions did not go down well with the crowd.
The visitors played much the better football In the first half, and it was unfortunate for them that Neil allowed his temper to get the better of him and tripped Anderson within the penalty area. Mutch took the kick, and gave Allison no chance. From then on to the interval it was more or less a duel between the home defence and the Airdrie forwards. Time and again Cunningham came to the rescue, and had it not been for him Aberdeen would not have crossed over with a goal in hand.
Matters were changed in the second period, when Aberdeen came more into the picture, and had as much of the game as their opponents. Mutch scored No. 2 off a cross by A. J. M. Edwards, and just on time Spalding got a third. Between the two, however, Russell, the Airdrie left winger, who the instigator of most of his team's raids, sent over a fine centre, Mountney having nothing to do but nod the ball past Cunningham.

Source: Press & Journal, 7th April 1924