Kilmarnock 1 - 2 Aberdeen

ELEMENT OF LUCK ABOUT 2-1 WIN OVER KILMARNOCK

SOFT SECOND HALF GOAL BY ARMSTRONG GIVES DONS BOTH POINTS,/p> Aberdeen may be hailed now as runners-up to Rangers in the Scottish League. By defeating Kilmarnock at Rugby Park last night the Dons practically assured themselves of the honour. Celtic, their rivals for the second place, would have to beat Motherwell by something like 12-0 to-morrow evening to depose the Dons.

There was an element of luck about Aberdeen's 2-1 victory over Kilmarnock. It was a soft goal by Armstrong fourteen minutes after the start of the second half that gave the Dons the points.
On play Killie did not deserve to be beaten. They had probably a greater share of the play than Aberdeen, but their finishing was deplorable.
It was a poor game. Neither of the teams revealed the form of which they are capable, and throughout there was end-of-season atmosphere about the play. There was not an outstanding personality in the twenty-two players. Aberdeen won because Armstrong seized two of the chances that came his way.
Kilmarnock forced the pace at the start, but Johnstone was not tested, though he cleared the second of two corners.

ABERDEEN IN LEAD

In seven minutes Aberdeen took the lead in their first attack. Milloy and McClure left a bouncing ball to one another, and Armstrong trapped the ball and placed it in the net well out of the keeper's reach.
Killie retaliated, and Collins almost equalised with a slick header following a corner by Thomson.
The Aberdeen goal was lucky not to fall in a goalmouth scramble. Johnstone came from his charge, but missed the ball, and when Gillespie failed to backheel it into an empty goal, Temple and Cooper combined to clear.
Nine minutes from the interval Beattie headed a Thomson throw-in to Collins, after McKenzie had attempted to clear, and the inside-right found the net with an angular drive.
Beynon, McKenzie, and Armstrong took part in a clever Aberdeen movement, and when Mills darted through from the centre's pass a goal seemed likely. McClure nipped in to clear.
Strong pressure by Killie at the start of the second half kept the Aberdeen defence busy, but in their first breakaway the Dons threatened danger. A free kick by Lang came out to Fraser, and the right-half had Brown in action to a fast, rising shot. Later Mills headed narrowly past from a free kick by Falloon. Then Collins almost gave the homesters the lead with a sudden burst that took him past Fraser, but Johnstone was on the spot.

ISSUE SETTLED

Aberdeen took the lead by means of a soft goal in fourteen minutes. McClure missed his kick in an Aberdeen attack, and the ball struck Armstrong, who had his back to the goal. The Dons' leader unexpectedly found himself in possession with nobody to beat but Brown, and he ran on to slip the ball past the 'keeper.
Kilmarnock replied strongly, and had they been more thrustful they might well have equalised on several occasions. One great chance was missed when Thomson broke away on the right and sent the ball across the goalmouth for both Collins and Gillespie to fail to connect.

Both teams wore black bands, and a minute's silence was observed before the start as a token of respect to Mr W. D. Hay, Aberdeen, director, who died on Sunday night, and was buried yesterday.

Source: Press & Journal, 29th April 1937