Aberdeen 2 - 0 Rangers

BRILLIANT PLAY STIRS THOUGHTS OF ALL THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN

ABERDEEN'S victory over the champions at Pittodrie, clean-cut as it was, left a feeling of regret as well as pleasure. Had the Dons revealed the same gay, adventurous spirit in all their matches the points at stake on Saturday might have been of vital importance, and the Scottish Cup might now be at Pittodrie instead Shawfield.
Still, there's no sense in crying over spilt milk. Enthusiasts in the Northeast will derive some satisfaction from the fact that the Light Blues had to bow the knee. Aberdeen won on their merits. It cannot be said that the teams did not go "all out."

MEMORABLE GOALS

It was a keenly contested and interesting game. An early goal served to instil confidence in the home team, but not until the second goal was scored twenty minutes from the end did the points seem certain to remain at Pittodrie. The Dons won because their attack possessed more finishing power than that of the champions.
These two goals of Aberdeen's will provide material for talk until the start of next season. Both were spectacular efforts.
The first came when Strauss beat Gray to a partial clearance by Woodburn, nodded the ball down, and then cut into the middle to sweep the ball out to the right. Smith was ready and waiting. He met the ball first time and it whizzed past Dawson and into the net.
Equally brilliant an effort was that of Armstrong. Biggs, foraging on the left, caught ball almost on the bye-line and sent it back to the centre. Armstrong fastened on, half-wheeled and shot. Dawson was beaten again. This time by a glorious left-foot drive from just outside the penalty area.

KELLY IMPRESSES

Aberdeen's defence stood up well to the Rangers' attack. None did better than Kelly in goal. The South African keeper proved once and for all that he is fit to take his place in first-class football. He capped a great display by saving a penalty kick from Venters in the closing stages of the game.
Cooper and Adey generally had the measure of the visiting wing men. and Nicholson, as a third back, did good work. At the same time the centre-half will have to come to a better understanding with his keeper. Twice he left balls for Kelly that he himself should have cleared.
Dunlop and Thomson were ahead of the Rangers' wing half-backs. They combined defence with attack to better advantage.

STRAUSS SMART

Strauss was the most dangerous of the forwards. His smart inter-changing of position with Armstrong caused the Ibrox defence a lot of trouble. Gray could not get a grip of the Dons' South African winger. Unfortunately Strauss' shooting was not up to standard.
Biggs had a poor first half, but after the interval he gave his partner good support. Armstrong was a clever leader, although inclined to put too much work on the ball. Hamilton has fallen away badly in recent weeks. He was well below his best form on Saturday. There was an improvement in the play of Smith on the extreme right. He put more dash into his play against Rangers than he has done all season.
Dawson in the Rangers goal had little chance with the shots that beat him. Shaw was a splendid left back, but of a moderate half-line, Woodburn was best. Symon and McKillop proved a trifle disappointing.

FAIL CLOSE IN

The attack did not hit the high spots. The forwards played clever football at times, but they could not clinch matters at close quarters.
Kinnear and Waddell. on the extreme wings, revealed little enterprise. Venters was the strongest of the inside trio. Thornton showed himself to be a clever footballer, but was inclined to hang on to the ball too long at times. Gilmour played a hard game.

Source: Press & Journal, 1st May 1939