Accies out but not down after brave Cup show

Feb 7 2008

HAMILTON were knocked out of the Scottish Cup fifth round by Premier League giants Aberdeen but made their Granite City hosts work hard for the win.

Every one of Hamilton’s players shone as they proved they can compete at a higher level.

With a bit more bite up front and a slice of luck, Accies may at least have forced the Dons back to New Douglas Park for a money-spinning replay.

But Aberdeen have the width of a post and hero keeper Jamie Langfield to thank as Zander Diamond’s second-half goal separated the sides.

Billy Reid travelled north with the strongest side he could field.

In all, four changes were made from the previous Saturday’s 3-2 win over Clyde.

James McCarthy replaced James Gibson, David Graham was preferred to Gary Twigg, and Tony Stevenson and James McArthur came in for suspended duo Chris Swailes and Alex Neil.

McArthur was made captain for the day and led the team well.

Hamilton threatened first after just two minutes when McArthur released Mark Gilhaney down the left wing and his angled shot was superbly palmed past the far post corner by Langfield.

Stevenson’s corner on the right was eventually cleared out to Gilhaney on the left and this time he blasted narrowly over from 20 yards.

Two minutes later, Richard Offiong robbed Barry Nicholson in midfield and burst through the centre but chipped over, with options available.

Aberdeen threatened in eight minutes when Lee Miller and Richard Foster combined down the left but the latter’s flick was comfortably saved by Bryn Halliwell.

Accies stopper Tom Parratt stopped Darren Mackie’s shot with an arm just outside the box in 12 minutes and while it looked like ball-to-hand, referee Dougie McDonald immediately flashed a card.

The talented right-back still played a major part in the game and never looked like being on a tightrope.

There was further relief for Accies as on-loan Middlesbrough midfielder Richard Walker sent the resultant free-kick curling round the wall but past the left post.

In 14 minutes, David Graham’s curling cross picked out Stevenson but his header crashed off the right post with Langfield beaten.

Aberdeen were on the back-foot but a moment of hesitation nearly gifted them a 20th-minute opener.

Mark McLaughlin was sloppy with a passback to Halliwell on the right and that allowed Mackie to nip in and lob the stranded goalkeeper, with the ball bouncing a foot wide of the left post.

Sixty seconds later, Graham played a neat one-two with McCarthy before collecting the rebound but his low drive was blocked by Langfield’s legs.

Andrew Considine let fly with a ferocious 30-yard drive that Halliwell did well to parry but spilled past the left post for a corner in 27 minutes.

Although neither side had any more serious inroads in the half, Hamilton were dominating the midfield, providing worrying signs for Dons boss Jimmy Calderwood.

He addressed that well in the second half, bringing on Derek Young for the ineffectual Jeffrey de Visscher.

Aberdeen instantly posed more of a threat but the first chance of the half fell to Hamilton. Offiong played a square pass to Stevenson 25 yards out but his shot was high and wide in 51 minutes.

Three minutes later, Langfield was forced to claim a Parratt cross from the right just ahead of Gilhaney.

But the Dons keeper produced the save of the game in 59 minutes when big Brian Easton burst through four players’ challenges before unleashing a 20-yard thunderbolt that Langfield brilliantly punched past the left post.

Stevenson’s corner from the left caused a goalmouth scramble, with Offiong and Stevenson both having shots blocked before the ball was hacked clear.

Aberdeen hit on the counter-attack, with Mackie slotting the ball into the bottom left corner despite already having been flagged but it was a crucial moment in the game.

Three minutes later, in a similar move, Barry Nicholson played a brilliant through-ball and Diamond stayed onside to slot past Halliwell in exactly the same manner as Mackie had.

In 66 minutesm, Gilhaney’s cross from the left was missed by Offiong but Stevenson’s shot was well blocked by Langfield.

From the rebound, Offiong headed Gilhaney’s cross inches over the top right corner.

James Grady was handed a debut replacing the exhausted Gilhaney in 72 minutes.

Young played a neat through-ball to Walker in 78 minutes and his low shot was partially blocked by Halliwell before slipping between his feet but the keeper was able to recover.

With 10 minutes remaining, Stevenson’s cross from the right was headed just over the bar by McLaughlin from six yards.

A minute later, Accies boss Reid gave his other new signing, Andrew Waterworth, a debut as he replaced Graham.

Grady was starting to look lively and in 88 minutes he connected with a Parratt free-kick from the left but Langfield again saved.

McLaughlin sent a low drive just past the left post from 19 yards right on the 90th minute.

Two minutes into stoppage time, Grady was sent through the middle and, although he failed to properly connect with the ball, Langfield superbly clawed it away from him to deny Accies a replay.

Aberdeen: Langfield, Considine, de Visscher (Young, 45), Foster, Diamond, Severin, Walker, Nicholson, Miller, Mackie (Lovell, 79), Duff (Maybury, 68). Subs (not used): McGuire, Soutar. Booked: Nicholson, Miller, Walker.

Hamilton: Halliwell, Parratt, Easton, McCarthy, Mensing, McLaughlin, Graham (Waterworth, 81), McArthur, Offiong, Stevenson, Gilhaney (Grady, 72). Subs (not used): Gibson, Barrau, Cerny. Booked: Parratt.

Referee: Dougie McDonald.

Attendance: 6959.

Advertiser Man of the Match: James McArthur — fantastic display from the midfielder.