Accies count cost of missed chances

Jan 4 2007

HAMILTON slumped down to sixth place in the First Division on Tuesday, as Gary Twigg’s early strike was enough to give Airdrie United all three points.

You need to go back two seasons to find the last time the Diamonds shone in a Lanarkshire derby, but this was a vital win as Airdrie desperately try to steer clear of relegation.

For Hamilton’s part, the defeat didn’t come through lack of effort.

In fact, they probably deserved at least a point from this game, but Accies need to become more ruthless in front of goal — and quickly.

Billy Reid’s side now hasn’t won a league match since, ironically, dumping Airdrie 2-1 at New Douglas Park on November 11 — although they have drawn five of those eight matches.

Hamilton were forced to make changes from Saturday’s starting XI, with injured Tom Parratt and David Elebert replaced by Tony Stevenson and James McCarthy.

Marvyn Wilson dropped back into defence, allowing young McCarthy to shine in midfield, and the 16-year-old showed why so much attention has been lavished on him.

But Saturday’s side which faces Livingston in the Tennent’s Scottish Cup third round is likely to see at least one change, as a knee injury forced goalkeeper Dave McEwan off after just 32 minutes, with deputy Raymond Jellema taking over.

Although covered by heavy tarpaulins as torrential rain lashed Lanarkshire over the previous few days, Airdrie’s pitch was sticky and tore up extremely easily, leading to scrappy opening exchanges.

Airdrie got to grips with the surface, and scored what proved to be the winner after just seven minutes.

Gary Twigg won a corner on the left, taken by Xavier Barrau, which was headed into the air.

As Hamilton defenders watched, Twigg controlled the ball, turned past Tony Stevenson, and lashed a low drive into the bottom right corner from six yards.

Stephen McKenna quite probably prevented Hamilton from grabbing a leveller in 13 minutes when he headed a Marvyn Wilson cross away from David Winters, who looked poised to nod home from eight yards.

Striker Graeme Holmes tried his luck from just inside the box in 16 minutes, but McEwan did well to parry and collect his stinging drive at the right post.

Impressive midfielder Steven McDougall took the ball past several Hamilton players 60 seconds later, but Stevenson blocked his low drive.

In 19 minutes a good move down the right involving Winters and Wilson sent the Accies captain to the bye-line and his cut-back found McCarthy, but the youngster’s net-bound drive was well blocked by Taylor.

Hamilton could have equalised in 21 minutes when Brian Wake sent Mark Gilhaney racing down the left, collected the low cross and stabbed it past Robertson from close range.

As the ball trundled towards the goal-line, followed by a defender, McCarthy raced in but could only blast his effort off the right post from an acute angle.

McEwan made a double save in 26 minutes, first blocking McDougall’s powerful drive as it threatened to bounce over the keeper, and then smothering Barrau’s follow-up effort.

In 35 minutes a Winters free-kick from the right was cleared from the box only as far as McCarthy, but the midfielder’s fierce half-volleyed hitch-kick flew past the right post.

Airdrie could have doubled their lead a minute later when Holmes was sent through the middle and his attempted pass deflected off Stevenson and into the path of Barrau.

But the winger opted for a first-time effort, which was comfortably saved by Jellema.

Airdrie started the second half well and after six minutes McDougall’s cross from the right was headed over by Twigg at the far post.

Accies boss Billy Reid used his last throw of the dice in 54 minutes, replacing Winters and James McArthur with Paul McLeod and James Gibson.

Hamilton could have equalised four minutes later, but Gilhaney’s cross from the right was just too far ahead of McLeod.

Diamonds sub Graeme Watson stung Jellema’s palms with a blistering drive in 63 minutes, but the young keeper parried and quickly collected at the bottom right corner.

Hamilton right-back Kevin Sharp tangled with Gary Twigg as the Airdrie man raced down the left wing in 66 minutes, and as Sharp hit the deck Twigg cut inside but blasted well over from 16 yards.

Sharp — who certainly looked to have been fouled — was justifiably furious as referee John Underhill booked him.

Hamilton passed up another chance three minutes later when Alex Neil darted into the box from the left flank and flicked the ball to Wake, but the big striker’s shot curled past the right post with Robertson beaten.

In 72 minutes, Stephen Robertson made the first of two superb saves from Paul McLeod.

The striker met Sharp’s right-wing cross with a powerful header, which looked to be dipping under the crossbar until the Diamonds keeper punched it over.

Two minutes later Robertson raced off his line to superbly block with his left leg as McLeod prepared to clip his shot into the bottom right corner after being sent through by Neil.

Airdrie nearly grabbed a bizarre second when Sharp, unsighted and obviously with no instruction, steered a McDougall cross inches past his own right post in 79 minutes.

Hamilton searched in vain for the equaliser, but Airdrie held out for a vital win.

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