Aberdeen 2 - 2 Third Lanark

The Rains Came - and Saved Dons from Defeat

THIRD LANARK came to Piitodrie on Saturday as a team trying to get round "relegation corner." Yet for two-thirds of the game they produced a brand of football which exposed the Dons' limitations and had them floundering helplessly in defence.

Why then, did the "Warriors" surrender a point after building up a two-goal interval lead? A change in underfoot conditions had as much to do with it as anything.
Heavy rain in the second half turned the pitch from a near ice-rink to a quagmire, and the visitors, so happy on top of the ground, were not so sure of themselves in the mud.
Their defence faltered in the closing ten minutes and opportunist Yorston snapped two goals for Aberdeen to make it a drawn game.
Main difference between the sides during Third Lanark's long spell of ascendancy was that the Dons didn't have a player like Jimmy Mason. The astute Cathkin inside right seldom wasted a ball, and his quick darts into the open space for the return pass continually spelt danger.
Mason and Orr, at inside left, made good use of the first-time pass along the ground, and they didn't forget to sling long balls out to the wings where Staroscik and Mitchell looked much more dangerous than their counterparts in the Aberdeen team.
in the first half the Dons' defence had the jitters. Their tackling was so indecisive that they allowed the visitins forwards plenty of time to make the ball do the work. Bad marking contributed towards the loss of both goals.
Altered conditions brought about an improvement in the Dons' play after the interval. Cowie and Taylor began to take the ball into opposing territory, but for a long time it looked as if Thirds would stick their lead.

Mason Brilliant

It was at this stage that one realised the value of Mason to the visitors. Aberdeen hadn't an attacker who could make the same clever use of the ball and lure the defence out of position. At the same time, the home inside forwards made things easy for Barclay and company bunching within shooting distance.
Nor did Kiddie and Millar on the wings cause much trouble to Balunas and Kelly. They lacked enterprise. Yorston's opportunism got him the two goals, and but for a brilliant save by Petrie might have completed a sensational hat-trick in the closing minutes.
Fourteen minutes had gone when Mason put Thirds in the lead. Staroscik tricked McKenna, and laid a perfect pass at the feet of the inside man, who sent the ball raging behind Johnstone.
With four minutes left for play in the first half Staroscik caused more panic In the home defence. His cross went right to Mitchell, who had nobody near him he calmly headed home the second goal.
McKenna was concerned in both Aberdeen's goals. Ten minutes from time he tore up the left and crossed. Harris deflected tne ball and Yorston had only to tap it into the net.
A few minutes later the left back sent a free-kick well into the goalmouth. Yorston, for once unmarked by Mooney, ran forward to head the ball wide of Pstrie, and a precious point was saved.

Source: Press & Journal, 19th January 1948