Lions roar back to deny Accies victory

Dec 7 2006

A LATE strike earned Livingston a deserved share of the points from this entertaining New Douglas Park encounter.

Howling wind and swirling rain hampered play slightly late on but there was enough interest in this match to keep most of the 1515 crowd happy.

However, it is indicative either of how far Hamilton have come in recent years or a ludicrous impatience amongst sections of their support that there were still boo-boys at the end, upset that their side hadn’t beaten a team recently relegated from the SPL.

When you consider that Accies were forced into FIVE late fitness tests for their players and that they were again denied a clear shout for a penalty, it is quite incredible that the hosts could easily have taken all three points from this end-to-end game.

But, considering that James McArthur was forced into a last-gasp headed clearance to salvage the draw, Livingston could also stake a claim that they merited full points.

Hamilton boss Billy Reid made two changes from last Saturday’s line-up, with new boy Kevin Sharp coming in instead of James Gibson — who picked up a knock against Ross County — and James McArthur replacing crocked Brian Easton.

Livi could have taken the lead inside the first minute, but Liam Fox’s low cross from right to left was just too far ahead of Neil Teggart at the back post.

Controversy never seems far away from an Accies game these days, and the first incident occurred after just two minutes when referee Craig Thomson deemed it necessary only to book goalkeeper Craig Wight when he picked up the ball outside his box.

It could be argued that his action denied a clear goalscoring opportunity for striker David Winters.

Accies went close in three minutes but Paul McLeod could have done better than head tamely past the right post from Tom Parratt’s curling free-kick.

Hamilton thought they were 1-0 up in 11 minutes when Brian Wake knocked a Parratt cross into the path of James McCarthy, who rifled the ball high into the roof of the net but the 16-year-old midfielder was denied by far-side linesman Gary Kirkwood’s flag.

The youngster then foolishly brought down Scott Mitchell as he made his way into the Accies box five minutes later. By the letter of the law, it was a trip, but the penalty award seemed soft.

Former Motherwell and Aberdeen striker Steven Craig stepped up to rifle his low spot-kick towards the bottom left corner but goalkeeper Davie McEwan guessed correctly and punched it away before the ball was hacked clear.

That was a real let-off for Hamilton but they made the most of it by taking a 21st-minute lead.

Parratt sent Paul McLeod running down the right and he cut inside before passing to Winters, who squared for Wake to round ’keeper Craig Wight and score his third goal of the season from close range.

Wake then sent a looping header narrowly past the left post from a Winters cross in 33 minutes.

In 40 minutes, a Fox corner from the left reached captain Dave MacKay on the right side of the box but his low drive, which was hurtling towards the bottom left corner, was inadvertently blocked by team-mate James McPake.

McArthur went close a minute from the break when his drive was well saved at the left post.

Tom Parratt went close with an audacious curling chip from 30 yards out on the right touch-line in 53 minutes, but his curling chip was high and wide of the top left corner.

Hamilton were forced into their first change in 58 minutes when Paul McLeod pulled up with a groin strain. He was replaced by Marvyn Wilson, who slotted in at right-back, while Parratt was pushed into midfield.

Wight was forced into a good save in 60 minutes, stopping Wake’s powerful header from a Winters cross.

Livingston drew level in 64 minutes when Steven Tweed nodded on Lee Makel’s free-kick wide on the left for McPake to volley into the bottom left corner.

Hamilton responded three minutes later by withdrawing McCarthy and throwing on striker Richard Offiong.

Wight produced an outstanding save 60 seconds later when Wake turned in the box before unleashing a powerful drive towards the top right corner, but the keeper clawed it round the right post.

In 73 minutes, Offiong set up Wake, but he tried to round the keeper and Wight this time blocked with his feet – the big striker knows that a drive would have put Accies 2-1 ahead.

Livingston’s defence prevented Wake from grabbing his second in 82 minutes when he slid in to meet an Offiong cutback, but his shot was deflected past for a corner.

From Winters’ corner on the left, midfielder Alex Neil was pulled back in the box as he went to head it into the far post corner.

Amazingly, referee Thomson dismissed all claims, meaning that Hamilton have been denied at least two absolutely cast-iron penalties in the last two games. Brian Wake was then denied a goal by a dubious offside decision.

Livi had been dealt a blow when Fox was forced off in 79 minutes with a suspected broken ankle – with Daryl Smylie his replacement.

Offiong was booked for his part in the accident.

But it got worse in 85 minutes when Jason Thomson suffered the same fate, reducing Livingston to 10 men for the last five minutes.

Livingston twice went close to snatching a win in the dying moments of the game.

First sub Joe Hamill chipped inches past the left post from eight yards out with McEwan scrambling to meet it.

Then McEwan parried a Teggart shot into the air but as it hurtled towards the right post, McArthur was on hand to head off the line.