Hibernian 2 - 3 Aberdeen

Victors in Pulsating Struggle at Easter Road.

SUPPORTERS' RAPTUROUS WELCOME TO TEAM AT ABERDEEN.

Now for Celtic! The Dons finished narrow but deserving winners at Easter Road in their third meeting with Hibs.
An unexpectedly large crowd of 22,343 watched the match, and the clubs equally divide £1015.
It was a pulsating struggle, with hardly a dull moment, and some good football was served up by the Dons after the interval.
Aberdeen proved one thing, and that was that they are well endowed with fighting spirit. To this can be attributed their victory. Twice in arrears, it says much for the Dons that they went on to win.
A feature of the game was the blunders made by both 'keepers, Steve Smith was at fault when Hibs scored their second goal, and Hill should have prevented two of the Aberdeen counters.

Hibs played strongly from the start, and although Aberdeen fought gamely to gain a footing in enemy territory, it was the homesters who did the bulk of the pressing.
In fact, during the whole of the first period Hibs were more or less top dogs. It was no surprise when they took the lead in the eighteenth minute with the best goal of the match.
Egan did the spade work on the left. He whipped the ball across and Black, with a lightning-like leap rose to flick the ball into the net with his head.

Armstrong Equalises.

Hibs, with the lead, continued to dominate play, and it was something of a surprise when, in thirty-five minutes, Aberdeen drew level.
Hill failed to retain a grip of a harmless looking shot by Ritchie Smith and Armstrong nipped in to land the ball in the net.
After the interval the Dons seemed on better terms with themselves and there was more method about the attack.
In nine minutes, however, Black restored the Edinburgh team's lead. Smith clutched a cross from Walls on the goal-line, and the home centre raced in to bundle the 'keeper into the net. Smith should have punched the ball instead of holding it.

Dons Fight Back.

Instead of taking the heart out of Aberdeen this reverse seemed to act as a stimulant.
Twice it appeared that the Dons should have been awarded a penalty. On the first occasion Moore was interfered with, and second time Egan appeared to handle the ball in the penalty area.
Aberdeen's pressure was justly rewarded, however, in fifteen minutes. Thomson got his head to a Cooper free kick, and although Hill held the ball, he became flustered when he saw Moore bearing in on him and allowed it to trickle through his legs into the net.
Thus after four and a half hours' football the teams were still on level terms.

Deciding Goal.

This goal seemed to shake the Edinburgh side, and with fifteen minutes to go there came the deciding goal by Armstrong. The centre accepted a good pass from Moore and raced in to find the net.
Following this the Hibs' forwards gradually faded out of the picture, and the defence cracked up.
Hibs were a well beaten team at the finish, and the Dons should have notched other two goals at least.

Gruelling First Half.

The Aberdeen defence was seen at its best in a gruelling first half. Badly harassed at times, yet they weathered the storm.
Steve Smith in goal made only one blunder - the losing of the second goal - but he atoned by bringing off a number of difficult saves.
Anderson gave Cooper a lot of trouble in the first half, but the right back got a tight grip of the winger after the interval.
McGill went out to meet his man on this occasion, and although Walls was always a potential source of danger, he did not get so much room to work in as previously.

Falloon's Hard Game.

Falloon played a hard game the middle. He found it more difficult to check Black, a player of similar height and physique to himself, than he would have had against bigger fellow.
The Hibs' leader was certainly smart with his head and there were many teethy duels between the pair.
The wing halves were virile in defence and, in the second half, mobile in attack.
A player of the unobtrusive type, Thomson, nevertheless, got full marks for yesterday's display. He was Aberdeen's best middle man. Fraser, too, wrought hard.
Aberdeen were superior to their opponents attack, although the Pittodrie quintette took some time to settle down.

Honours to Mills.

Once more the honours of the day go to Mills. it was he who formulated most of Aberdeen's attacking movements. Had Hibs possessed a scheming forward of the Mills type there might have been a different tale to tell.
Armstrong played his part nobly and well. After he got his first goal the Dons' leader lost the inferiority complex, which Watson may have caused him to develop. It was the burly Hibs pivot who then found himself in difficulties. Moore is something of enigma.
It was his pass that enabled Armstrong to secure the winning goal, but apart from that he did little of note. He seemed easily tired.
As a result Beynon on the extreme right was not so prominent as usual. When he did get the ball he got it across quickly and accurately, but he missed a good chance near the close.
Ritchie Smith was good and bad in turn. He gave Wilkinson many anxious moments, but again missed two possible scoring chances.
In the first half he miskicked with the goal at his mercy, and near the close he "duffed" his shot when he was clean through.

Black Shines for Hibs.

Smith, who was off with a knee injury, was missed in the Hibs' attack. Christie, who deputised, was a willing worker, but lacked ideas. Black, who came in for Flucker, justified his selection.
He was a nippy leader, and his two goals were fine examples of opportunism.
Walls and Moffat were clever enough individually at times, but they did not finish strongly enough.
Congratulations to the winners and a cheer for the losers - they fought a plucky fight.

Source: Press & Journal, 5th March 1935