Accies dump Jags to storm into third spot

Mar 22 2007

HAMILTON moved into third place in the First Division after ending a poor run of form with an excellent and thoroughly deserved win over Partick Thistle at Firhill on Saturday.

On this occasion, it was Firhill for swirls as gale-force winds and driving rain made for terrible conditions, contributing massively to a poor first half.

A controversial double sending-off and a missed penalty played a major part in the outcome of the game, but Hamilton were simply the better side in the second half.

Boss Billy Reid deserves enormous credit for the way he shuffled his pack, while keeping some aces up his sleeve.

No fewer than SIX changes were made from Tuesday’s side that had capitulated so poorly at Ross County.

Tom Parratt, James Gibson, Chris Swailes, Tony Stevenson, James McCarthy and Paul McLeod came in at the expense of Marvyn Wilson, Derek Fleming, Jamie McClen, David Winters, suspended Alex Neil and Mark Gilhaney.

Wilson, Wake, Gilhaney and Winters were left on the bench, and although Marvyn replaced the injured Swailes after just 13 minutes, Reid cleverly unleashed Gilhaney and Wake at a time when Thistle’s defence were already tired.

Winger Gilhaney ran the Jags defence ragged and was unlucky not to score, while Wake set up David Elebert’s clincher with seven minutes remaining.

Hamilton had the first shot on target in 27 minutes when Gibson’s dipping 19-yard effort was taken at the right corner by keeper Jonathan Tuffey.

Seconds later, Craig Sives sent a glancing header off the bar from a Mark Roberts corner as Thistle turned the screw.

Three minutes later, another Roberts corner was headed out by Gibson and eventually found its way to Sam Morrow, whose drilled effort was blocked by Elebert before it could fly into the bottom left corner.

Hamilton passed up a good chance in 34 minutes when Richard Offiong was sent down the right and cleverly cut inside, but his cutback fell between McCarthy and Gibson.

Seconds later, former Accies midfielder Brown Ferguson’s fierce drive from the right was spilled by Murdoch on its way past the far post corner, with a goal-kick wrongly awarded.

In 36 minutes, referee Stuart Dougal wrongly allowed play to continue after Pat Keogh’s strong challenge on Offiong left the striker writhing on the ground.

The former Accies star seemed to step back into Offiong, and the striker reacted angrily, with both being sent off.

A minute before the break, goalkeeper Tuffey raced off his line, fully 35 yards from goal, and his attempted clearance fell to McCarthy, but the young midfielder sent his long-range chip narrowly past the left post.

Hamilton got off to the best possible start in the second half when Sives sent Gibson crashing to the deck inside the box in 47 minutes and referee Dougal immediately pointed to the spot.

Tony Stevenson stepped up and confidently drilled his penalty into the bottom right corner, sending Tuffey the wrong way. It was the defender’s third spot-kick goal this season and how he enjoyed the occasion.

Ten minutes later, Jags had a chance to restore parity when Roberts took a dive over Elebert’s clumsy challenge just inside the box and Dougal again signalled a penalty.

Roberts dusted himself down and sent his penalty low towards the right corner, but Sean Murdoch guessed correctly and brilliantly held it.

Reid threw on Gilhaney and Wake for McCarthy and McLeod in 61 minutes.

Accies should have been 2-0 ahead four minutes later when great play by Gilhaney down the left saw him pick out Brian Easton in the middle, but his first-time drive flew inches past the right post, with Tuffey helpless.

Gilhaney went on a good angled run from the left and found Wake in 69 minutes but as he expected a return pass on the right, the big striker instead sent a curling effort towards goal that was comfortably taken by Tuffey at the left corner.

Substitute Stephen McConalogue picked out Derek Young in 81 minutes, but his curling effort from 12 yards was well taken by Murdoch.

Seconds later, Gilhaney was sent through on goal but Tuffey brilliantly blocked his eight-yard drive.

Hamilton got the second goal their play deserved in 83 minutes when Wake chased a seemingly hopeless ball down the right and his cutback found Elebert, whose drive took a slight deflection off Ferguson and went in via the right post.

That was the Irishman’s fourth strike this season, all of them coming at vital times for Hamilton.

Accies could have grabbed a third with two minutes left when Murdoch’s clearance sent Gilhaney through on goal but Tuffey again blocked well from the winger.