Dundee 0 - 2 Aberdeen

ABERDEEN DEFENCE IN FORM.

There was little to enthuse over in the northern 'derby ' between Aberdeen and Dundee at Dens Park. Dundee are a poor team, and there seems little doubt that their victory over Clyde at Shawfield the previous week was a flash in the pan.
Aberdeen did not play to expectations either, and there was an absence of the thrills one looks for an Aberdeen-Dundee game, there were few of the finer touches, and what few there were were served up by the Dons.
Aberdeen deserved their win, but it was only in the second half that they were really superior. Their attack was more dangerous and penetrative than Dundee's, but at the same time they did not reveal the form they have done at Pittodrie this season.
The Pittodrie side have to thank Moore, their Irish centre-forward, for their victory. He got little support, but, nevertheless, snatched a brace of smartly-taken goals. His first, especially, was the feature of a rather colourless game.
Mills was the only forward who supported the centre, and with his accurate passing he opened up the play nicely. Love and Beattie worked hard, and although McLean was clever, his weak shooting detracted from his value.
O'Reilly was the better of the wing halves, But this was probably due to the fact that Beattie, who lay well back, gave him a good deal of assistance.

Dons' Sound Defence.

The most accomplished department of the Aberdeen team was the defence. Smith, Cooper and McGill were a sound and reliable rear trio, and Falloon kept a watchful eye on Robertson, who was the best of the Dundee forwards.
Throughout the game the Dens Park team never impressed, not even in the first half, when they had the better of the exchanges. It was in attack that their weakness lay. Their combination was bad, and their habit of bunching in front goal made the Aberdeen defence's work easy. Only Robertson and Munro showed enterprise.
Marsh and Gilmour were best of a fairly sound defence, while McCarthy and T. Smith played well at half-back.

Play Described.

Aberdeen were set to face a stiff breeze in the first half and Dundee were prominent at the start. Smith saved from T. Smith and Gilmour.
Aberdeen retaliated through McLean, but Marsh experienced no difficulty in dealing with the winger's shot.
Cooper twice broke up Dundee attacks, and clever play by Beattie and O'Reilly saw Mills head past from a Love cross.
Robertson had a great try for Dundee, and then came a short offensive by the visitors. Marsh held a header from Moore off a Love cross, and the 'keeper, after leaving his goal, fumbled a McLean cross; Moore hooked a ball across the empty goal but no Aberdeen forward was in position to put the ball home.

Thirty minutes after the start Moore gave Aberdeen the lead with a grand goal. He fastened on to a slip from Mills, dashed forward to beat the defence and smashed the ball past Marsh from 18 yards' range.
Immediately following Dundee almost equalised when Munro shot against the upright from a Robertson pass. The homesters attacked vigorously but their finishing wag poor and Aberdeen retired with their lead.

Dundee's Bright Opening.

Dundee started the second half briskly and Smith saved from Cameron at the expense of a corner. Aberdeen bore down on the Dundee goal and Marsh required two attempts to clear a McLean corner.
The ball travelled quickly from end to end for a time. The visitors gradually took matters in hand, however, and Moore almost scored with a hook shot from a Beattie pass. Marsh came into the limelight with saves from O'Reilly and McLean, and the left-winger missed a chance when he shot weakly from a Mills slip. McLean made Marsh go to full length, and shortly afterwards from a cross from Love sent against the crosbar.
Seven minutes from the end Moore put Aberdeen two up. He dived low to a fast Love cross and headed the ball past Marsh. Dundee fought to the end, but never looked like scoring.

Source: Press & Journal, 12th September 1932