Third Lanark 1 - 0 Aberdeen

Not Enough Life About the Pittodrie Attack

The Dons can offer no excuse for the Cathkin defeat, they never shaped like a winning team.

Only a single goal separated the teams at the finish, but this was due mainly to the prodigality of the Third Lanark forwards with their scoring chances.
The Dons' forwards lacked the sharpness, celerity and teamwork of their opponents. There wasn't enough life about the Pittodrie attack.
The Aberdeen defence, too, is suspect. The victory goal could have been avoided. It was the result of bad marking.
Mitchell's corner-kick fifteen minutes after the start of the second half passed several players before Ayton jabbed the ball into' the net.
One Aberdeen defender was entirely blameless - George Johnstone. He even made a valiant attempt to save the winning goal, although he had no chance.

Not Impressive

Emery and McKenna spent a crowded arternoon trying, not very successfully, to catch up with Mitchell and Staroscik, the Third Lanark wingers.
it was a fierce baptism for the former Swindon player, and he was not impressive.
The Pittodrie forwards have a complaint in that they got little support from the men behind.
The half backs were too busy trying to put the brakes on the Third Lanark attack to indulge in constructive football. None of the three can be written down as a complete success.
The driving power was missing in attack. There appeared to be football craft and ability in the Aberdeen forward line before the game, but they certainly didn't reveal it during the ninety minutes' play at Cathkin.
The forwards seldom produced any sustained combined play. The biggest disappointments were baird and Kiddie. Only Pearson, on the left wing, revealed any real vitality and menace.

Never Tested

Something more vigorous than Saturday's display will be required to beat Celtic at Pittodrie on Wednesday.
Third Lanark's attack was faster and more cohesive than the Pittodrie combine. Their biggest fault, and it is a vital one, is that they failed to collect the dividends that should have accrued from their outfield play.
Staroscik, on the right wing, despite his cleverness, missed two scoring chances in the opening period, and Stirling, at centre forward, was equally remiss with two excellent opportunities in the second half.
Mason, at inside right, was the planner of many of the Third Lanark attacks and combines good ball control with judicious distribution.
The Cathkin defence is of the first-time order, but it was never really tested. Orr, right half, was a shrewd and progressive player.

Source: Press & Journal, 16th August 1948