Title is in sight after St Johnstone win

Apr 9 2008 By Andy McGilvray

Hamilton Accies 2 St Johnstone 0

CLASSY Accies took another huge step towards the First Division title with a comfortable 2-0 win over St Johnstone on Saturday.

Tony Stevenson was the hero, scoring directly from a corner, and setting up David Elebert’s second-half clincher.

This match was viewed by many — not least by title rivals Dundee — as a potential banana skin, but Accies were well worthy of their win, having dominated the match.

Hamilton made two changes to their line-up, with captain Alex Neil replacing James Gibson, and Simon Mensing slotting in at the expense of Mark Gilhaney, who was a substitute.

Saints defender Goran Stanic gave his side a scare in four minutes when he clipped an attempted pass-back inches past the left post, following a mix-up with goalkeeper Kevin Cuthbert.

And Accies made them pay when Stevenson’s corner from the left floated over everybody’s heads and landed in the bottom corner for a fifth-minute opener.

Mensing and James McCarthy linked well down the right five minutes later, but the young midfielder’s cutback was just too far ahead of Elebert.

David Graham collected a Stevenson throw-in on the left in 18 minutes and darted into the box, but his low drive was held by Cuthbert.

Liam Craig tried his luck with a clever swerving half-volley from the left touchline in 26 minutes, but it was well judged by Accies keeper Tomas Cerny, who held it under the junction.

Three minutes before the interval Mark McLaughlin was unlucky not to score, having met Stevenson’s corner from the right with a bullet header, but Cuthbert blocked and the danger was cleared.

Sixty seconds later Stevenson’s free-kick from just over half-way on the right was met with a downward header by Mensing, but the ball bounced over.

Saints threw on Martin Hardie for anonymous Allan McManus at half-time, in an effort to get back into the game.

But that was ended in 56 minutes when Elebert met Stevenson’s corner from the left and sent his header flying past Cuthbert and, despite Stanic’s attempts to clear off the line, the goal was given by far-side linesman Raymond Whyte.

Andy Waterworth was thrown on for Richard Offiong two minutes later and looked lively, linking well with James McCarthy.

Gilhaney was also pitched on in place of Stevenson after 66 minutes.

And the winger saw a low shot saved five minutes later after cutting in from the right.

Craig tried another lob from the left touchline in 72 minutes, but Cerny was alert to the threat.

James McArthur went on a run in 78 minutes, but blasted over from 18 yards.

A brilliant flowing move down the left ended when Waterworth’s deft flick inside was snatched off McCarthy’s toes by Cuthbert in 81 minutes.

Saints nearly grabbed a consolation strike in stoppage time when Craig’s low shot was touched on to the post by Cerny.

HAMILTON: Cerny, Stevenson (Gilhaney, 66), Easton, Mensing, Elebert, McLaughlin, Graham (Gibson, 80), McArthur, Offiong (Waterworth, 58), Neil, McCarthy. Subs (not used): Taylor, Potter.

ST JOHNSTONE: Cuthbert, Irvine, Stanic, Anderson, Rutkiewicz, McManus (Hardie, 46), MacDonald (Milne, 57), Moon (Quinn, 65), Jackson, Craig, Sheerin. Subs (not used): Weatherston, Main.

Referee: Dougie McDonald.

Attendance: 1825.