Third Lanark 3 - 1 Aberdeen

ABERDEEN were beaten 3-1 by Third Lanark at Cathkin. That suggests that the Dons were a poor team, and that they were well and truly beaten. The opposite is the case. The result flatters the Warriors, who, on the day's play, were the inferior team.

For three-fourths of the game the Dons held the upper hand. Third Lanark had all the luck that was going.
It is true the Aberdeen defence was slack when Carabine opened the scoring for the homesters, and George Jonnstone should have cut out Lister's cross when Ventre got the second.
When Dawson got the Warriors' third goal there appeared to be a Third Lanark player behind Johnstone, who had advanced from his goal. Aberdeen hotly disputed the point, but the referee turned down their appeal.
The referee, too, disallowed what looked a perfectly good goal bv Pattillo. He actually awarded the point, and the players were lining up in the centre of the field when he suddenly altered his decision. Pattlilo got the Dons' only goal few minutes later.

Dons Superior

The Dons throughout played the better football, and there were long periods during which the homesters were scarcely in Aberdeen territory. It has to be kept in mind, too, that the Dons were without McKenna for practically the whole of the first half.
Apart from his mistake, Johnstone had a good game in goal. Cooper was grand at right back, and George Taylor came through with credit when he took McKenna's place. The left back suffered from slight concussion.
Dunlop, after a shaky opening, was a stalwart, and Baird was no means a failure in the middle division. Pattillo did well when he was in the middle division and was also the Dons' best forward.
This defeat has brought Aberdeen down to fourth place in the League. Rangers, who won at Motherwell, strengthened their hold on the leadership, while Hibernians are now second followed Celtic.

source: Press & Journal, 26th November 1945