Hamilton Accies end unbeaten run at Killie

Aug 23 2008 By Lorraine Waddell

HAMILTON Accies ended their unbeaten run with a 1-0 defeat away to Killie.

A header from Italian Manuel Pascali on the stroke of half time gifted Killie all three points and takes them to joint top of the table on points with Rangers and Celtic.

Man of the match Pascali managed to get his head onto a Mehdi Taouil corner and beat Hamilton goalkeeper Tomas Cerny.

And Accies now face an anxious wait to hear how Alex Neil is after sustaining a facial injury during Killie's goal. He was rushed to hospital after being replaced by Joel Thomas at half time.

Five minutes into the second half Accies also lost Mark McLaughlin to injury.

Killie edged the best of the play and managed to overcome 10-men Accies as both teams engaged in what Accies boss Billy Reid later described as a battle.

Both sets of fans were getting anxious with the referee as tackles flew in on both sides, eventually resulting in a straight red card for Hamilton's David Graham for a challenge on matchwinner Pascali.

After a scrappy start to the match, it was Killie who were gifted the first chance after Accies' Tony Stevenson's clearance cannoned off of referee Crawford Allan who awarded Killie a corner.

Moroccan Mehdi Taouil swung the cross in from the set piece which was met by Frazer Wright who headed over the bar.

Accies also created chances in the first have and David Graham and Simon Mensing's link up play looked impressive but the eventual cross was unable to pick out any Hamilton players.

In 32 minutes, Danny Invincibile tried to volley the ball into the goal but was unable to control it and his attempt also ended up in the stands.

And in 45 minutes, Killie started to pile on the pressure.

They won a corner which Taouil whipped in for Sammon whose header set up Simon Ford. Accies keeper Cerny managed to get a hand to the shot and knocked the ball behind for another corner.

Again, the Moroccan midfielder took and picked out new boy Pascali whose header gifted him his first competitive goal for the club.

After the break, Billy Reid brought on Joel Thomas, who had been on trial at Killie in the close season, for Alex Neil who had been injured during the build up to the goal and had to be rushed to hospital.

Taouil almost set up again just minutes into the second half when he picked out Craig Bryson with his cross but brave Mark McLaughlin dived in to force the header over.

The Accies man went off injured from this challenge just a few minutes later and was replaced by David Elebert.

Hamilton then had their best spell of the match and last week's goal hero Richard Offiong got his head onto a Stevenson cross but this was steered behind by Frazer Wright for a corner.

Hopes of snatching a point faded when, in 78 minutes, Graham picked up a straight red for his challenge on Killie goal hero Pascali.

On loan striker Donovan Simmonds made his first competitive appearance for Killie when he replaced Conor Sammon in 80 minutes but had no time to make an impact on the match.

Killie managed to see the last period out against Hamilton's 10-men and claim the victory.

Accies boss Billy Reid felt the game was a battle and was disappointed to lose.

He said: "It was scrappy. There was not a lot of football played. It was a battle. One or two of my players are hurting after that. Neil's away to hospital and Swailes is stitched up.

About the injury to Alex Neil which was picked up as Killie scored the winning goal, the boss said: "I think somebody's followed through accidentally and hit him on his nose and face. I'm concerned about him so he went away in an ambulance.

"I thought the Kilmarnock players were up for it. They made it hard for us but I thought James McArthur was outstanding. He was my man of the match."

Jim Jefferies was delighted with the win claiming that every one of his players had a good day at the office.

The gaffer said: "The most pleasing aspect was that every one of the players played well today and maybe David Fernandez was a little bit special. Frazer was so determined not to lose and Bryson drove well through the middle of the park."

KILMARNOCK: Combe, Fowler, Hay, Wright, Ford, Bryson, Taouil, Invincibile, Fernandez, Sammon (Simmonds 80), Pascali

HAMILTON ACCIES: Cerny, Stevenson, Easton, McCarthy, Swailes, McLaughlin (Elebert 50), Mensing (Corcoran 82), McArthur, Offiong, Neil (Thomas 45), Graham

ATTENDANCE: 5339