Aberdeen 1 - 1 Queens Park

Forwards miss many chances

Aberdeen disappointed their supporters at Pittodrie, when the forwards missed chances, and the team had to be content to divide two goals with the famous amateur combination, Queen's Park. In an afternoon ideal for football, and on a ground that was in perfect condition, the spectators, including ticket-holders, numbered close upon 22,000, and the receipts, exclusive of entertainments tax, amounted to £916. Many travelled to the game from suburban and county districts, and a number of Queen's Park supporters, made the long journey from Glasgow.
It was a hard, interesting struggle, with the issue always in doubt?indeed, the spectators were on tip-toe with excitement, and, as is customary in league games, there was no tendency on the part of onlookers to take their departure before the final blast of the whistle had sounded.

How Goals were Scored.

Both goals were scored early in the game. In the first minute Thomson caused the visitors' defence to concede a corner. The ball was well placed by Middleton from the flag, and Miller headed against the crossbar, from which the ball rebounded to the foot of Thomson, who shot the ball straight into the net from close range. Tremendous enthusiasm marked the Aberdeen success; but the amateurs were in no way discouraged. McAlpine, on the left, forced a corner, which was cleared, and at the other end Sneddon got in the way of a hard drive by Miller, which was followed by Wright shooting wide. Aberdeen maintained the attack, and Miller just missed the goal with a shot that he neatly hooked over his head. Then came the equalising goal at the end of eight minutes' play. Templeton executed a brilliant dribble and sent out Gossman, who was fouled. From the free kick near the touchline the ball was sent in front of the Aberdeen goal, and while Wright and Hutton hesitated to clear, Fyfe got in a weak shot which sent the ball away from Blackwell, who, throwing himself full length was just able to push it away. Before an Aberdeen defender could go to the rescue, McAlpine, who had rushed in, drove the ball hard into the net, while Blackwell was still on the ground. This happened after only eight minutes of play.
Subsequently Subsequently the play ruled from end to end. Thomson dribbled past two opponents to shoot wide for Aberdeen, and Blackwell had to clear a ground shot from long range by Templeton. Play for a time converged in front of the Queen's Park goal, and repeatedly Gillespie, Sneddon, and Davies earned applause for their brilliant clearances. More individual work by Thomson enabled Fyfe to get behind the Aberdeen backs, and he was in the act of shooting when MacLachlan dashed across to impede him, and cause the direction to be wrong. Another Aberdeen rally followed, and Miller, in the act of shooting, was tackled by Sneddon, the ball going wide. Later Miller got away from a pass by Rankine, but when about to shoot was overtaken by Sneddon, who deflected the ball wide of the goal. Aberdeen kept up the attack, and the Queen's Park goal experienced a series of narrow escapes. Miller got possession from a pass by Bainbridge, and had his foot drawn back to shoot when he was dispossessed by Gillespie, and later the ball was headed backwards and forwards in front of the visitors' goal until Middleton touched it behind. On yet another occasion, Bainbridge screwed in a great cross, but Miller fell as he went to meet it, and Davies cleared. At this stage Aberdeen crowded all sail on attack, but try as they might they could not break down the determined and resourceful defence opposed to them. Miller had a hard drive which sailed over the bar with Newton otherwise beaten.

Exciting Incidents

When they got in motion the Queen's Park forwards made ground very fast. Gossman, from the touchline, caused Blackwell to field a dropping centre, and play was quickly transferred to the other end, where Rankine shot badly from favour able position. McAlpine, who was very lively on the visitors' left, beat the half-back and back opposed to him in clever style, and was cutting into goal when Forsyth dashed across and cleverly dispossessed him. Thomson again came near to giving Aberdeen the lead. On this occasion he dribbled from midfield to the 18 yards line, when he shot hard, but the ball was carried past the goal. Pirie, the Queen's Park left half, was injured by receiving the ball heavily on the head, but he recovered quickly, and in a series of scrimmages in front of the visitors' goal shots by the home forwards were repeatedly blocked or charged down. Off a well-placed flag kick by Bainbridge there was a melee, during which attackers and defenders alike missed the ball in their excitement, until it rolled behind. Close on the interval Bainbridge, a short distance to the left of the goal, had a great chance to score, but he shot wide.
On the whole Aberdeen were very unfortunate not to have been leading at the interval, when the score stood at one goal each, but the Queen's Park defenders were worthy of great praise for their brilliant destructive play.

Weak Finishing

The second period was no less interesting. In it Aberdeen, as in the first half, accounted for most of the attacking play, but the same forward weaknesses were again in evidence, and with the visitors' forward raids always fraught with danger to the home goal, the tension never waned. Aberdeen made headway from the start, and after Middleton had swung over a centre which was returned by Bainbridge, Thomson headed into the waiting hands of Newton. Gossman retaliated with a long sprint, which culminated in him shooting wide. The McAlpine again came into prominence. He dribbled cleverly along the wing, and then crossed to Fyfe, for that player?s fine shot to go just wide of Blackwell's charge. Following this, the Aberdeen attack once more took up the running, but the forwards repeatedly negatived their own good work in midfield by over-reaching their colleagues with their passes, and often they delayed to shoot, so that the Queen's Park defenders nipped in to dispossess them. With the pace very fast, and excitement obvious among the players, free kicks became of frequent occurrence, and from one of these Hutton shot wide of Newton?s charge. Miller worked into favourable shooting position, but when applying his final effort Davies dashed in for the ball to be deflected wide of the goal. Newton?s charge had another escape when, after Bainbridge had squared, Miller and Thomson, both of whom were favourably placed for shooting, allowed the ball to travel to Middleton, and that player, from a few yard' range was only equal to sending it against the outside of the side-net.

A Brilliant Save

McAlpine continued to make the best of his few opportunities to reach the home defence, and on one occasion he found himself a few yards from the Aberdeen goal with only Blackwell between him and decisive success. The custodian was equal to the occasion, and leaving his goal, he threw himself on the ball to successfully withstand the onslaught of several opponents, and finally rise and clear. The incident was watched in breathless suspense by the home supporters, and when he emerged triumphant there was a terrific yell of exultation.
This was succeeded by more exciting passages at Newton's goal. From a flag kick by Middleton, Milne headed in, and by a wonderful effort Newton, who suffered pain from an injury sustained earlier, managed to tip the ball over the bar. Following the second flag kick, Rankine, Miller, and Thomson all had shots blocked in front of the crowded Queen's Park goal. Aberdeen pressed with great vigour, and Newton effected a splendid save off a terrific drive by Milne. For Queen's Park, McAlpine made another effort to win the match, and from near the touchline he delivered a great shot, which Blackwell did well to anticipate and clear. In the last minute of the game, Aberdeen had a splendid opportunity to win, the three inside forwards all failing to [reach] a ball which travelled across the goal from the left.

Players Who Shone

The honours of the game went to the Queen's Park defence, which put up a magnificent resistance. J. newton, T. Sneddon, and S. H. Davies, and R. Gillespie were brilliant performers in this department, and in a forward line that was fast and dangerous, J. A> McAlpine was outstanding.
On the Aberdeen side, the honours too remained with the defence. Hutton, Forsyth, Milne, and MacLachlan were always prominent, andin a forward line that negatived clever play by indifferent finishing, Thomson was outstanding.

Replay Tomorrow

Th etie will be replayed on the ground of the Queen's Park club, Hampden Park, Glasgow, tomorrow afternoon, and the kick-off will be at three o?clock.
Th eAberdeen F.C. directors have decided to make no change in the team, and the players and officials will travel by the train leaving Aberdeen at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow. It was expected that the journey would be made today, but it has been found that a change of quarters overnight is not to the benefit of players on the eve of an important match.

Source: Aberdeen Daily Journal 13th February 1922