Aberdeen 0 - 1 Rangers

With two games played and both lost, Aberdeen are so far without a point in this season's Scottish League competition, but they were distinctly unfortunate not to at least draw with Rangers at Pittodrie on Saturday, when the League champions obtained the only goal that gave them their first victory at Pittodrie since season 1919-20.
The deciding point was obtained three minutes from the start. Archibald, out on the right, sent over ball which Blackwell deflected behind for a corner kick. The ball was well placed from the flag by Morton, and was fisted away by Blackwell. The goalkeeper did not, however, send it far upfield, and Meiklejohn, rushing in, scored with a hard drive. For a time Rangers threatened to increase their lead, but subsequently Aberdeen repeatedly assailed the Rangers goal, and once in particular, when Rankin sent a hard drive against the upright, were unfortunate not to equalise before the interval. In the second half, Aberdeen accounted for the greater share of the attacking, and several times were within an ace of drawing level, but Rangers augmented their defence by drawing back their inside forwards, and to the close defied all the efforts of Aberdeen to score.
Although there was rain in the early afternoon, the conditions improved just before the start, and there was an attendance of 23,000, which included many who had travelled from other districts, and a big contingent of Rangers' supporters were forward from Glasgow. Although it had its quiet moments, the game was brimful of thrilling incidents, and provided a rare example of whole-hearted effort on the part of all the players. Although unfortunate to lose. Aberdeen never played with the same collective method as Rangers. In the first half hour of the game the champions moved with fine harmony in attack, and it was only the splendid covering tactics of the Aberdeen defence that prevented them increasing their lead. In the second half the Aberdeen attack improved immensely, and although Rangers had to resort to drawing back their forwards, the same methodical tactics that had characterised their attacks in the first half were demonstrated in defence.

PLAYERS IN THE EYE.

On the Aberdeen side, Blackwell, Hutton, and Forsyth defended splendidly, and James Jackson and MacLachlan were brilliant half-backs, the centre half especially excelling. Miller in the first half and Rankin in the second were the forwards who most troubled the Rangers defence, Rankin's shooting in the second half being a feature. Alexander Jackson, who made his debut at outside right, gave a promising display, but his brother Walter at centre forward was too closely shadowed to do much damage. Rangers owed their victory to the excellent work of their defence. Robb in goal saved the situation more than once, and Manderson, although making a mistake that almost cost a goal near the finish, gave a sound display at back. Meiklejohn and Dixon, especially the former played delightful football at half-back, and in the attack Cunningham and Morton were best, but the line was well held by the Aberdeen defence in the second half, when the visitors concentrated on maintaining their narrow lead.

THE RUN OF THE PLAY.

Play opened fast, and both defences were raided by the respective right wings. After forcing work by MacLachlan, W. Jackson got into favourable position, but was dispossessed before he could shoot. Then Archibald accepted a long pass from Cunningham and sent in the shot which led up to the scoring of the Rangers goal. After the reverse Aberdeen retaliated vigorously, and Miller worked his way cleverly up, only to shoot weakly. Later, however, he delivered a brilliant shot, which Robb saved at the expense of a corner, which was cleared. Subsequent to this the Rangers initiated some clever attacking moves, and the Aberdeen backs were repeatedly in action. In a raid by the Aberdeen forwards, Walter Jackson was fouled, but Hutton's free kick brought no advantage to his side. For a time Aberdeen attacked with great determination, and were again unfortunate when a shot by Rankin found Robb's left hand upright. After this escape Rangers again came away strongly in attack, and Morton, on the run, had a magnificent shot that only missed Blackwell's goal by a matter of inches. Later J. Jackson came to the rescue after Hutton had failed to clear from Cairns. Cunningham, for Rangers, and Miller, for Aberdeen, were the most prominent raiders, and J. Jackson charged down a hard drive Cunningham. Aberdeen were kept defending for a spell, and Hutton got in the way of a shot by Henderson after Cunningham had cleverly side-stepped two opponents, James Jackson shot wide for Aberdeen, and at the other end Dixon, from long range, flashed the ball just wide of Blackwell's goal. Miller, for Aberdeen, retaliated with a shot from the right, Robb knocking down the ball and then clearing. The Aberdeen goal had a narrow escape when a ball from Archibald was deflected against Blackwell by Forsyth, but James Jackson came to the rescue. For a time the Aberdeen defence was hard pressed, and in quick succession four great drives were charged down in the penalty area. A powerful shot by Cairns was finely saved by Blackwell, and in the closing stages of the period Rangers were the more methodical and dangerous team.

EXCITING SECOND HALF.

Aberdeen resumed in promising style. and the Rangers defence was hard pressed on the right at the start. A long run by Morton resulted in Blackwell saving at the expense of a corner. The flag kick brought the visitors no advantage, and at the other end Miller missed the ball when in a favourable position for shooting. Aberdeen kept up the attack, and a long shot by Rankin went behind, and at the other end Blackwell on the ground saved from Morton. After this, Aberdeen again took up the attack, and maintained the pressure practically until the finish. In a dash between the backs, W. Jackson was foiled by Robb, and the keeper later required the assistance of McCandless to dispose of a shot from Rankin. For a time it seemed that the persistent Aberdeen pressure would tell, several shots being blocked in a crowded penalty area. Dixon got in the way of a tremendous shot by James Jackson, and later Meiklejohn nipped the ball from W. Jackson's foot when the centre forward was about to shoot. Alec Jackson next came into the picture with a high ball which Robb did well to clear. The ball was quickly returned, the Rangers keeper having to tip a fast ball from Rankin over the bar for a fruitless corner. With their rear divisions augmented by the inside forwards falling back, Rangers were hard put to it to avert the equaliser. W. Jackson had a shot charged down by McCandless in the goal area. Three flag kicks in quick succession fell to Aberdeen, but still the Ibrox defence held out. Henderson twice raised the siege by thrusts through the centre, but he was dispossessed on one occasion and shot wide on the other. Near the finish, in the course of a hot rally by Aberdeen, Manderson miskicked. The ball just cleared the Rangers goal by inches, and from the flag kick that followed Dixon relieved from a crowd of Aberdeen players.

Source: Press & Journal, 25th August 1924