Aberdeen 2 - 2 Queen of the South

Aberdeen F.C. Chairman Denies Rumour
By NORMAN MACDONALD

ROUMOURS of dissension among the Pittodrie players were denied by Mr William Mitchell, chairman of Aberdeen F.C., after the match on Saturday.
In accepting a plaque from Lord Provost Sir Thomas Mitchell, presented by Aberdeen Corporation to commemorate the Dons' Scottish Cup success, the Pittodrie chairman stated - "I can assure you that the esprit de corps among the players is as good as ever it was.
Once we are free of illness and injuries we will yet prove that the Scottish Cup victory was no flash in the pan."
He concluded with the assurance: "The officials of the club will always do their best to build a team capable of bringing honour to the city"

In making the presentation Sir Thomas Mitchell announced that this was his last public duty as Lord Provost. He said that he surrendered office at midnight to-day.
Everyone admires pluck and fight in the face of adversity. The Dons displayed both these qualities against Queeh of the South at Pittodrie.

Victory Nearly Snatched

Twice in arrears and playing with ten men in the second half, they drew 2-2 and came within an ace of snatching victory.
After the interval they redeemed themselves for an irritatirigly innocuous display in the opening period.
Individual Aberdeen players can bs criticised for their form, or lack of it, but there can be no denying the fighting spirit of the team as whole.
They were badly handicapped ten minutes after the start. Archie Baird received an ankle injury and although he hopped gamely on the left wing until close on the interval, he was practically useless.
Aberdeen morale descended almost to zero when Aird converted a penalty award for Queen of the South with seventeen minutes played. The Dons had their backs to the wall.

A Transformation

There was a transformation in the second half. They adopted Commando tactics. They took the initiative and developed a ten-men attack.
For long spells twenty-one of the twenty-two players, were crowded in the Dumfries half of the field. The solitary exception was George Johnstone, lonely sentinel of the Aberdeen citadel.
Perhaps the men who played the biggest part in the Dons' revival were the backs, Cowie and McKenna. They kept carrying the ball into enemy territory and swinging it into the goalmouth - surely a reflection on the Aberdeen wing half-backs.
Cowie was particularly aggressive and in the last quarter of hour he and McVean changed places. It was McKenna's most impressive performance of the season.

Harris Forward

The forwards can claim that the line was thrown out of gear by the loss of Baird, but, even so, they were neither cohesive enough nor forceful enough. Harris was the most thrustful and consistent attacker.
Waddell brought Brown down after Houlistcn had struck the upright, and Aird turned the resultant penalty to account to give his side the lead.
The second half was seven minutes old when Fulton grassed Millar, and Taylor emulated Aird's feat from the penalty spot.
The best goal of the game came frcm Jenkins, who sent the ball flying into the net after Houliston had headed on a lob.
Harris got the equaliser twelve minutes from the end after Henderson had dropped a corner kick from Kiddie.

Source: Press & Journal, 3rd November 1947