Heart of Midlothian 1 - 1 Aberdeen

Hearts Saved a Point With Last Kick of Game

TWO attacks with but a single scoring shot - the Dons' goal was headed and Dixon's scoring shot came from a penalty - that describes the Aberdeen-Hearts relegation match.

The Tynecastle team actually saved a point with the last kick of the game. The final whistle went before play could be restarted.

And the penary award reprieve for Hearts was hotly disputed by the Pittodrie players.
Andy Cowie strenuously denies that he committed an infringement on Flavell. The situation developed when a clearance by Roy curled towards his own goal.
Flavell pounced on the ball and Cowie pounced on Flavell. The right back hooked the ball away for a corner kick.
To the consternation of the Aberdeen players, Referee W. Webb, Glasgow, awarded a penalty. The only explanation seems to be that he was under the impression that Cowie had pushed his opponent.
Strangely enough the Dons made an unsuccessful claim for a similar award earlier in the half when Parker, the Hearts centre half, appeared tp bring the ball down with his hands.

Good Outfield Play

If the marksmanship was bad in this game, the outfield play of both sets of attackers was often of a high standard. Fear of failure was apparent in the the forwards. They allowed themselves to become hypnotised by the importance of getting goals.
Had the Hearts' vanguard been less hurried in aligning their sights on the Aberdeen goal in the first period, they could have held the lead at the interval.
When Kelly headed the opening goal for the Dons from neat Williams corner nine minutes after the start of the second half, Hearts were shaken.
Thia goal brought a transformation to the Dons. The forwards started to develop some real power, and when Hearts later started their point-saving blitzkrieg the Aberdeen defence revealed spirit and determination.
Public enemy No. 1 so far as Hearts were concerned was Willie Roy, the Pittodrie centre half. In this game he showed himself to be the ideal stopper.

Harris Most Dangerous

Johnstone, Cowie and McKenna played their part. Both Waddell and Taylor worked hard in defence, but too little was seen of them in an attacking capacity.
Harris was Aberdeen's most dangerous forward. He was strong and direct and he deserved to score with one magnificent drive in the second half that struck the woodwork.
Pearson was clever and elusive as ever on the left wing. Williams did not impress on the right in the first period, but he became a lively raider after the interval.
Parker gave Kelly little scope and Baird was closely marked by Lalng.
Former Pittodrie favourite George Hamilton worked tremendously hard in the Hearts van and, like Harris, was unlucky not to find the net with a grand drive that got the woodwork.
It was a good, hard game. The point gained by the Dons takes them to the fringe of the relegation struggle. Hearts are in a less happy position, but I think they, too, will survive.

Source: Press & Journal, 8th March 1948