A Cunningham pen >45
Rankine +7
Match Information
Attendance: 22,000
Referee: JP Rowie (Glasgow)
Matchday: Saturday
Match Trivia
Forsyth the Aberdeen left back, must be fit to shew his fingers off today. He foolishly rose in the air and put his hands to a ball inside the penalty area when there was no excuse for it. This gave Rangers a penalty, which earned a goal, which earned a point at Ibrox. It was rough luck on Aberdeen, because they were beating Rangers, although the penalty was the first count. Yes, on the day’s play they were the superior team in every department and should have won. True, Rangers were without Meiklejohn and McCandless, and Henderson was lame at outside right in the second half. At the same time Aberdeen showed themselves a smart company, and with any luck should have taken full honours. Despite the greasy nature of the surface the teams settled down to really good football right away. At least Aberdeen did. A couple of corners they got in as many minutes. Then Connon sent in a great drive, but it was straight at Robb, and Willie easily cleared. Rangers’ left were first to get going, but Morton lifted high over. Cairns kept the fun going when he got well away from a seemingly offside position but overran the ball behind. A foul to Aberdeen gave Robertson his chance, and he made no mistake with a fine shot, but neither did Robb. Blackwell was obliged to kick clear a grand shot from Johnstone, and Morton ultimately put behind. But Alan made amends later on, when he stretched Blackwell to save a nippy lob. Then Henderson, closely attended by Hutton and Forsyth, got his foot to a beauty, but Blackwell was giving nothing away. Meanwhile Robb had been kept busy with back passes, and when Grosert tried this same game, he gave away a corner. There was nothing doing, and we were now entertained to some clever bouts between Archibald and Forsyth in which neither had any advantage. Dixon repeated Grosert’s pass-back corner-trick with the same result. The best shot so far came from Cairns, when he blazed in a great ball, which Blackwell cleverly tipped over for a fruitless corner. Dixon, too, tried his luck, and Blackwell had also to save from Henderson in double quick time. Aberdeen, if anything, were having the better scoring chances, and Robertson looked well through to count when he was brought down just outside the box. The kick yielding nothing. But the nearest thing so far was for Rangers when Groset saved on the goal line from Cunningham. Aberdeen resumed the second half as they had done the first. Robb had to look smart with a shot from Thomson and Rankine put narrowly past. Hereabouts Henderson went lame and changed places with Archibald, and in ten minutes Rangers got the penalty. Cunningham had no difficulty in counting. But Aberdeen were playing better than the League leaders, and in ten minutes more they deservedly equalised. A corner was forced on the left and Smith sent in a beauty. In the scramble play Rankine shot the ball well home, giving Robb no chance. Aberdeen continued to be the sweeter moving side, and shortly after the equaliser Thomson was let clean away by Middleton. On he swept to deliver a raker which Robb was glad to get past for a corner. A second corner followed immediately, and relief only came when Connon put narrowly past. Rangers weren’t by any means out of the picture, but their movements in front were never united. A great closing rally by the Light Blues was beaten off and more than one Aberdonian went down for repairs. Hutton, who came in for a lot of unjust barracking was twice in the trainer’s hands, and there wasn’t a cleaner player afield. During the last half-hour more than one law of the game seemed to be forgotten. Of the home side little fault could be found with the defence. Robb was all right and Jamieson did well in McCandless place. Manderson had a handful in his ex-clubmate Smith, but the honours were even. In a half-back line that never got a grip of the sweet moving forwards of Pittodrie, Johnstone was most useful. Forward Cunningham, Cairns and Morton worked hard, but the line neglected from behind and latterly out of joint through Henderson’s injury was never like its real self. There wasn’t a weakling on the Aberdeen side. Blackwell was A1. Hutton was the best back afield. Sandy Grosert was not outshone by his clever colleagues, although he might have spread the play more. In front the fault was too much football and not enough individual penetration. But all five had a big share in the draw.
