Hamilton clinch title and reach Premier League promised land

Apr 24 2008 By Andy McGilvray at New Douglas Park

Hamilton 2 Clyde 0

HAMILTON clinched the Irn-Bru First Division Championship with a comfortable 2-0 win over 10-man Clyde at New Douglas Park.

A Tony Stevenson penalty and Richard Offiong’s 21st goal of the season were enough to see off the Bully Wee’s scant challenge before the half-time interval, in front of a 4940 crowd.

And this result, coupled with Morton’s shock 3-0 win over Dunfermline, pitched Clyde deeper into play-off misery.

However, for a side that mustered only three shots on target – and two of those were within the final 15 minutes – the Cumbernauld club have only themselves to blame.

Boss Billy Reid went into the game with two changes to last week’s line-up, as Mark McLaughlin replaced Chris Swailes and David Graham came in for assistant manager Stuart Taylor, both of whom were on the bench.

Hamilton created their first chance inside two minutes when Graham’s cross from the right was glanced just past by the head of James McArthur.

Seven minutes later Tony Stevenson’s floated cross from the right reached Offiong, but his header held up in the wind and was saved by David Hutton.

James McCarthy went close in 13 minutes, latching onto a Stevenson through ball, but he didn’t make enough contact to trouble Hutton.

Clyde went close in 16 minutes when Pat Clarke’s speculative dropping volley from 20 yards out on the left touchline forced a save from Tomas Cerny at the back post.

But Hamilton took the lead in 21 minutes - Stevenson’s cross from the left found McArthur, his header was blocked into the path of Simon Mensing, and his rising drive was punched over the bar by captain Neil McGregor.

Referee Willie Collum had no option but to show a straight red card to the defender, and award a penalty, which Stevenson buried to the left, sending Hutton the wrong way.

A roving run by McLaughlin set up a good chance for Mensing three minutes later, but his rising drive flew over from 25 yards.

Clyde striker Gary McSwegan, who had tangled with Cerny a couple of times, was remarkably fortunate to escape a caution in 27 minutes when, after losing a chase, he pushed the Czech Republic keeper into an advertising hoarding.

But stand-in skipper Chris Higgins was even more fortunate to avoid giving away another penalty after clearly handling a McCarthy cross inside his own box in 30 minutes.

McCarthy and Mensing sent efforts past before Hamilton wrapped up the points in style two minutes before the break.

Stevenson darted down the left before sending Brian Easton forward, and the big defender’s exquisite through ball released Offiong, who turned his marker before drilling low into the bottom right corner.

Hamilton nearly stretched their lead eight minutes into the second half when strong play by McCarthy took him past three defenders on the right and his cutback landed behind Offiong, but the striker snaked out a foot and diverted it towards the bottom-left corner, only for Christian Smith to hack off the line.

Substitute Mark Gilhaney, who replaced injured captain Alex Neil after 31 minutes, saw a 20-yard half-volley well saved in 60 minutes, before hooking a full volley past the left post 16 minutes later.

Hamilton could have added to their lead in 80 minutes when a good run by Graham took him down the right and his low cross for sub Andy Waterworth was well taken by Hutton ahead of the young Irish striker.

HAMILTON: Cerny, Stevenson (Swailes, 89), Easton, Mensing, Elebert, McLaughlin, McCarthy, McArthur, Offiong (Waterworth, 68), Neil (Gilhaney, 31), Graham. Subs (not used): Taylor, Halliwell.
CLYDE: Hutton, McGregor, B. Gibson, Higgins, Bestvina, Wilson (J. Gibson, 54), Bradley (Mackay, 76), MacLennan, McSwegan (Arbuckle, 46), Clarke, Smith. Subs (not used): Masterton, Cherrie. Sent off: McGregor. Booked: McSwegan.
Referee: Willie Collum.
Attendance: 4940.
Advertiser Man of the Match: Simon Mensing – was a massive influence in the game and unlucky not to score.