Aberdeen 2 - 0 Motherwell

Archie Kelly's Splendid Goal Eased the Tension
'WELL DISAPPOINTED

ABERDEEN'S two goals at Pittodrie on Saturday might be the means of producing something more valuable than the actual points gained at Motherwell's expense.
They may be the first step towards transforming the Dons from eleven straggling units into something like the team that created a stir in the first two postwar seasons.

Until Kelly rounded Paton to shoot a splendid goal twenty-four minutes after half-time the anxiety of the home players was apparent.
It was as big a struggle to shake off the nervousness caused by recent poor displays as it was to hold the sweet-moving Motherwell forwards at bay.
The score eased the tension, and the home players' joy knew no bounds when Paton made another mistake six minutes later and Hamilton took the chance to score a second goal.
It was a hard-won victory, but it would be a mistake to assume that all the Pittodrie ills have been cured. In outfield play Aberdeen compared most unfavourbly with Motherwell, whose forwards produced some silky touches but were unable to apply the finishing effort.

Not Star

Waddell showed most emphatically that he is the keystone round which the Dons defence must be built. He wasn't showy, but saw to it that Mathie was kept out of the game, and it must be a long time since the 'Well leader had such an unprofitable afternoon.
Johnstone and McKenna also came out of the match with credit, but the weakness at right back persists. McLaughlin is a trier, but he lacks positional sense and the experiment of playing him there ought not to be continued indefinitely.
Stenhouse vied with Motherwell's McLeod and Redpath for wing-half honours. The former Mirren player is improving with every game. Archie Baird a half back? The answer to this problem is held over. Baird wasn't a star in his new position, but must be given another chance.
The Dons' attack was a thing of shreds and patches. There were spasms of combined play, but the line as a whole had not the rhythm of the Motherwell attack.
Kelly may lack subtlety, but the manner in which he took his goal stamped im as an opportunist. Given the right sort of ball to chase he will cause trouble for any defence.

More Purposeful

While it took Williams and Pearson a long time to get going, the left flank was more purposeful than tne right. Harris has still to strike a telling game while Hamilton, now that he has found the road to goal, may get back to his old game. He was well below his best on Saturday.
Motherwell had themselves to blame for their first defeat. They have a stuffy defence, but Paton paid the extreme penalty for two mistakes within six minutes of each other.
The Fir Park forwards were the big disappointment. McLeod and Redpath gave them plenty of the ball, but apart from left winger Barclay they did not seem to know where the goal lay. Barclay had a rousing shot in the first half, when the ball hit Johnstone and came out again off a post.
Barclay was through again near the end when he was brought down by Waddell and a penalty awarded. Kilmarnock missed the spot kick.

Source: Press & Journal, 30th August 1948