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Match Details

Aberdeen

0-0

Rangers

League
Pittodrie Park
12 December, 1931

Aberdeen

Smith
Cooper
McGill
Fraser
Falloon
Ballantyne
Warnock
McDermid
Armstrong
McLean
Love

4

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

Rangers

Tom Hamilton
Dougie Gray
Robert MaCauley
Davie Meiklejohn
Jimmy Simpson
George Brown
Jimmy Smith
Dr James Marshall
Sam English
Bob McPhail
Alan Morton

Match Information

Goals

Match ended 0-0

Match Information

Manager: Bill Struth
Attendance: 24,000
Referee: W.G. Holborn (Glasgow)
Matchday:  Saturday

Match Trivia

Aberdeen kept their home record intact against Rangers, and that sentence would suffice to say all that is worth saying regarding yesterday’s game at Pittodrie. The ‘Dons’ were aware they were up against a much better team than themselves and showed it from the very first kick. They were out to stop Rangers, if not at any cost, as near to it as the rules reasonably permit. They were very frank about it, too going in first time regardless of consequences, and quite content if they got the ball away any old how. One, of course, cannot blame them in not endeavouring to match their football against Rangers, and they were justified by – the result, but it made for an unsatisfying game. Don’t run away with the odea, however, that it was entirely a matter of Rangers’ attack against Aberdeen’s defence. Indeed, in the closing minutes the ‘Dons’ came very near to snatching both points, and in the course of the game Tom Hamilton had to make a superlative save or two. Ar time, however, and for long periods, play was monotonously one-sided, but overwhelming as was Rangers’ assertion, they were never permitted a single scoring chance. What one defender missed, another was sure to pick up, and Rangers’ failure to score was, therefore, not due to any faulty marksmanship. McPhail and Marshall had not a happy day. They were not allowed a moment to think out a move ahead, and with Smith and Morton heavily tackled and kept to the wings and nothing coming the way of English, perhaps Rangers’ failure to score is explained. Smith was not comfortable on the wing. It was no fault of Meiklejohn or Brown that inspiration was lacking. Both were splendid forcing half-backs and easily the most constructive players on the ground, Brown being a wonderfully clever footballer. Simpson played his usual role of third back, but it must be conceded he played it extremely well and was eminently useful. Rangers’ backs were fine when brought into action, Gray being crisp and decisive against a clever wing and McAulay making a great first impression at Pittodrie. Tom Hamilto’s accomplished and versatile handling must bring him into consideration when Scotland is choosing John Thomson’s successor. The most outstanding feature of Aberdeen’s display was their spirit of resistance. They were out to yield not an inch and succeeded. Smith was an alert and confident goalkeeper, never in two minds, and Cooper and McGill will never play a stouter game. Though not so refined as Rangers’ pair, they were every bit as effective. Fallon was a perfect little terrier at centre-half. He never gave a thought to construction and was out to knock any such ideas out of the other fellow’s head. Fraser and Ballantyne look like coming on, Ballantyne attempting to play some football and Fraser being generally useful. Aberdeen were much brighter on the right flank forward than on the left. There was no more scheming forward than Adam McLean, and Love was a dangerous raider. Warnock did nothing of note and McDermid was not full-minded on attack. Armstrong is not a Yorston, though lively enough. The nearest shots to scoring were one at each end in the second half. Both had the element of surprise, Adam McLean shooting suddenly on the half-turn and bringing Hamilton to the best save of the game, low down at the post. English later with his back to goal got under a punt from Gray and hooked the ball over his head without stopping it. He got dead on target, but Smith was all there. It was the biggest gate of the Pittodrie season, the spring-like weather bringing out 24,000 spectators.
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