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matches

Aberdeen 4 - 1 Rangers

HT Score: Aberdeen 0 - 0 Rangers

Div 1 (Old)
Aberdeen scorers: Taylor 47 (Pen), Williams 48, Green 54, Baird 72.
Rangers scorers: Waddell 89 (pen)

12/01/1946 | KO: 14:20

DONS HUMBLE RANGERS AT PITTODRIE

Team Work Carries The Day

THE best team in Scotland. That was the description applied by friend and foe to the Dons after their great 4-1 victory over Rangers at Pittodrie.

The Dons reduced the Light Blues to the standard of a very ordinary team, and that takes some doing. They played brilliant football, particularlv in the second half.
Rangers were humbled and outclassed, but they very sportingly acknowledged at the finish that no team could have stood up to the Dons on this form.
It was a great game, a great day for it and a great crowd - just over 35,000 - enjoyed every minute of it.
The amazing feature was the ease with which the Dons accomplished one of the team's greatest achievements of all time. The score did not flatter them the least.
Brilliant team work, allied to highly skillful football, brought about the Dons' success.
They were Rangers' masters throughout.

Victory Plan,/p> It was evident from the start that the Dons were playing to a plan, and as the game advanced that plan became more and more evident. The wing halfbacks concentrated on Gillick and Duncanson. These undoubtedly strong and clever inside men were absolutely subdued from the beginning. The effect was that the Ibrox attack was thrown completely out of gear. Dunlop was able to devote almost his whole attention on the centre-forward, and Caskie and Waddell, both internationalists, were rendered more or less useless.
The Aberdeen half-backs were able to give all the necessary support to the attack which responded with fast, skilful and punishing football.
Rangers' defence was outwitted, outplayed and hammered relentlessly, particularly in the second half.

Second-Half Fireworks

There was not a great deal between the teams in the first half. Yet Aberdeen were the more workmanlike side in this period, and were unlucky not be leading at the interval.
The fireworks started immediately after the resumption. Taylor converted a penalty goal in the first minute. Sixtv seconds later Williams, in his typical way, got a second. In nine minutes Green had made the total three, and in twenty-seven Baird flashed home a fourth to knock the heart completely out of the visitors. Rangers got a consolation penalty goal in the last minute.
No team could have stopped the Dons on this form. They adopted an all-out policy from the start, and it must have been relief to Rangers when the final whistle went. Rangers have never been overwhelmed to such an extent for a long time.

Woodburn's Fight

Every Don played his part magnificently. Henderson in was never in trouble. Cowie is a great back, one who will, or ought to be, honoured by his country. McKenna, although in pain in the second half, was a big success. Green, Dunlop and Taylor were immense at half-back.
In attack, Hamilton and Baird were brilliant schemers. Williams must be one the most feared leaders in Scotland to-day. "Tiger" Shaw could make nothing of Pattillo, and McCall was wily and clever on the left.
In a Rangers team in which there were few successes, praise must be given to Woodburn at centre-half. He fought valiantly throughout.
This victory leaves Aberdeen nine points behind Rangers, but still two ahead of Celtic.
The crowd was the third largest at Pittodrie.
The gates were opened at 1.15, but about two hours prior to that queues started to line up at the turnstiles.
Half an hour after the opening the stand was full to capacity.

Source: Press & Journal, 14th January 1946

Rangers' Seven-Minute Nightmare

by JACK HARKNESS

TO those whose business it is to look after Scotland's football prestige, charter the first plane available and bundle this Aberdeen team over to Moscow for a crack at the Dynamo. And we'll just lie back happily awaiting the result.

I used up all my superlatives last week describing their smashing of Queen's Park. Rangers were smashed just twice as hard - were lucky not to be smashed by double the goals.
When last, I ask you, did Rangers lose three in seven minutes? Stranger still, no one was surprised at it.
Right from the start it was evident Aberdeen were out to continue where they left off last week. George Hamilton and Archie Baird set up a brand of inside forward play that Rangers' defence, or any other defence in Britain, could not have stood up to.

DEVASTATING STUFF.

These two merry lads sand-danced their way through the game. Their dribbling, positional play, passing, had Rangers' defence standing on their heads.
Inside men can make a team. Rangers' pair just don't stand any comparison, just can't be mentioned in the same breath.
And the trouble from this Ibrox quarter reacted back on the wing halves, and from there back on to the backs.
But let's not dwell on Rangers' failings when there is so much good to be told. After all, any team only plays as well as it is allowed to. And if you are forced to chase the other fellow for 90 min. you just can't show much constructive stuff.

WOODBURN HEROICS.

For a goalless first half Rangers must thank Woodburn. He kept his head when all around him were losing theirs. The lone star Ranger. But his job was like, trying to catch the water off the Niagra Falls in a bucket. It was obvious that any moment he would be swamped.
The cataract arrived in the first ten minutes of the second half. Baird was definitely tripped up inside the penalty box. The referee didn't see it but the Aberdeen players were round him in a twinkling. He consulted a linesman. Rightfully - penalty. Taylor crashed the ball home.
The granite buildings were still rocking when number two went on. A free kick by McKenna into goal. Hamilton took it on the turn. His shot was blocked. The ball squirmed to Williams. He prodded it over the line. Talk about excitement. Aberdonians were throwing cares away.
And on top of this came the third. Green swung a long, low ball goalwards. Harmless looking. Hamilton made for it, then gave a beautiful dummy to Jock Shaw. The Ranger was completely dumbfounded, and the ball struck his knee and bounced into the net!

NO LET-UP.

Now, you'd have thought Aberdeen would have taken it a bit easier. Not on your life. They crashed into this match still as if they were a goal down, and a minute to 90.
Williams, the terrier, continually snapped away at the legs of Ibrox defenders; Green and Taylor sewing up their respective sides of the field, and finding time to serve beautiful, constructive passes; Cowie making Caskie wonder why he had bothered to make this long journey at all. And Cowie often came up for a shot at goal.
If the fourth goal was quietest the bunch it was just because the crowd was now hoarse by this time.
Jock Shaw dallied when he should have cleared. Williams robbed him, chipped back to Baird. The big inside fellow took it in his stride - whanged! The Cock of the North had laid its fourth egg!
After reading all this you'll wonder how Rangers managed to score at all. Well, in the 89th minute they came into the game. Williamson was tripped by Green in the penalty box. Waddell scored from the spot. There was no time left for the ball to be centred.
And so it ended. Aberdeen took it in their stride. Effervescing, skilful, delightful stuff, with every man fitting into the perfect machine.
Cowie best back in Scotland; Wing halves who had the servicing of the front men taped; Hamilton and Baird, perpetual motion pair, had their work made easy by the response they got from Pattillo, Williams, and McCall.
Rangers will still be wondering what hit them. They nave nothing to complain about. They hadn't an off-day. If they had it would have been 14-1. Attendance - 35,000.

Source: Sunday Port 13th January 1946

Aberdeen Teamsheet
Henderson, Cowie, McKenna, Green, Dunlop, Taylor, Pattillo, Hamilton, Williams, Baird, McCall.
Rangers Teamsheet
John Shaw, D. Gray, Jock Shaw, Watkins, Woodburn, Symon, Waddell, Gillick, Williamson, Duncanson, Caskie
Attendance: 35,000
Venue: Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen
Referee: G. Godfrey, Stenhousemuir