Partick keeper defies Hamilton Accies

Apr 2 2008 Andy McGilvray at New Douglas Park

Hamilton 0 Partick Thistle 0

HAMILTON were left shaking their heads in disbelief on Saturday as Thistle keeper Jon Tuffey kept them at bay throughout a frenzied second half.

Accies laid siege to the Jags goal but the in-form shot-stopper was equal to everything thrown at him.

At one point the Northern Ireland Under-21 keeper stopped a point-blank volley by substitute Stuart Taylor with his FACE.

But Hamilton were left breathing a sigh of relief when Thistle went on to defeat rivals Dundee on Tuesday, keeping their lead at the top to four points.

Hamilton changed their team-list twice before kick-off after captain Alex Neil was injured in the warm-up and young Grant Gillespie was drafted in on the bench.

Assistant boss Stuart Taylor was slated to start in place of Neil but a change of heart saw James Gibson thrown on.

A dreadful first half dominated by driving rain and swirling winds saw little in the way of chances, with the best coming in 26 minutes when Simon Storey’s cross from the right was stabbed just past the right post by Thistle striker Mark Roberts.

But the one time Accies striker Offiong really got going, he was hauled down by Willie Kinniburgh as he bore down on goal, with the former Motherwell defender extremely fortunate to escape a straight red card.

Accies were given a half-time rocket and were by far the better side in the second period.

Mark Gilhaney’s cross was headed over by Offiong just two minutes in.

In 53 minutes, David Elebert’s back-post header from a Tony Stevenson corner was cleared off the line by Kevin McKinlay.

Three minutes later, McCarthy picked up a loose ball on the edge of the box and unleashed a thunderbolt that Tuffey did well to punch clear.

Stevenson’s 59th-minute free-kick found David Graham in the box but his angled drive was well held.

Thistle’s McKinlay had an effort cleared off the line by Elebert in 63 minutes, with Cerny mopping up the rebound effort.

In 72 minutes, Graham’s cross from the right was met with a powerful header by Mark McLaughlin but his effort was cleared off the line.

From the corner, Tuffey produced the save of the game when sub Taylor met Stevenson’s set-piece with a fierce point-blank volley at the right post, but the keeper turned it round the post - with his face!

Tuffey missed Stevenson’s 75th-minute free-kick but Elebert couldn’t find the target with his header.

Mark Gilhaney’s searing 25-yard drive was superbly touched over in 83 minutes.

And a minute later Tuffey held McCarthy’s low drive.

Five minutes from time, Taylor met Stevenson’s cross with a strong header only to see Tuffey brilliantly save again, and in 89 minutes the keeper produced a breathtaking double save from Offiong and Gilhaney.

In stoppage time, Offiong made his way to the right bye-line before cutting back for Taylor but the midfielder blazed over with the goal at his mercy.

Hamilton: Cerny, Stevenson, Easton, McCarthy, Elebert, McLaughlin, Graham, McArthur, Offiong, Gibson (Taylor, 68), Gilhaney. Subs (not used): Waterworth, Grady, Gillespie, Halliwell.

Referee: Charlie Richmond.

Attendance: 2150.

Advertiser Man of the Match: Mark Gilhaney — the pacy winger must be wondering how he didn’t score or set up a Hamilton winner.