Reid’s rant pays off as Accies claim third spot

Mar 22 2007

HAMILTON boss Billy Reid has praised his side after they responded to criticism by dumping Partick Thistle and reclaiming third place in the First Division.

Furious Reid last week blasted Accies after back-to-back defeats at Clyde and Ross County, saying it was up to them if they wanted to end their season on a high.

But Saturday’s 2-0 Firhill win — courtesy of a Tony Stevenson penalty and David Elebert strike — leaves Accies five points off second-placed St Johnstone, with six games to go, ahead of the international weekend.

And Reid said: “We said to the players that all the hard work they have put in this season could all go down the swanny, and they could end up at the bottom end of the table.

“I don’t think we deserve that, for what we’ve been through this season, how hard we’ve worked and the amount of young kids that we play, which is refreshing.

“I’ve never complained about the effort shown by my players.

“I had a go after the game at Ross County, and in the newspapers as well which I don’t often do, but that was totally unacceptable for this club.

“I made six changes from that game and got a good response. It could have gone the other way, because we were up against an experienced Partick Thistle side, but we have a lot of good young players here.

“I know that James McCarthy, James Gibson and Paul McLeod are good players, but they need a bit of experience round about them.

“On Saturday I took a chance by throwing them all on at once, and I won’t get away with that every week — I need to be honest about that — but all credit to them.

“It’s reassuring to know that we can make that amount of changes and get a performance like that.

“For the first time since I’ve been manager here I’ve got a squad to choose from, and I’ll use it.

“On Saturday I made six changes — one of them was forced upon us because Alex Neil was suspended — and it’s proved worthy on the day.”

Several observers believed that Saturday’s game hinged on a controversial flash-point in 36 minutes, which saw Accies striker Richie Offiong and Jags defender Paddy Keogh red-carded.

But, having watched the game several times, Reid believes his young side simply came out on top of a game played in horrendous weather conditions.

He said: “In the second half, our young legs showed and we ran over the top of them.

“I think it was always going to be a battle in those conditions, and we had to win that before we could start playing, which I don’t think we really did until the last 30 minutes.

“It wasn’t pretty early doors, and we were under the cosh slightly for the first 30 minutes.

“People say the sending offs changed the shape of the game, but I don’t quite agree with that.

“In the first half we were playing into a headwind, and got pinned back a wee bit.

“In the second half we came out with the headwind and were on the ascendency.

“Good goals win matches, and we got them at the right time, while our goalkeeper Sean Murdoch saved their penalty.

“I still stick by the fact that I don’t think it was a penalty — I think Mark Roberts went over the top, but that happens and big Sean was excellent.

“We lost seven goals in two games, which is unlike us, so it was pleasing to keep a clean sheet.

“With the weekend break coming up it was really important to get the win, and I thought there were some great performances out there.”

Reid urged fans to be patient as he shapes his young Hamilton side, and admitted that occasional defeats will come as a result of that.

He said: “We’re building a club here, I keep stressing that, and I just ask people to be patient.

“We lost a couple of games, everybody got their back up and we’re going to do that with the players that we’ve got.

“We don’t have the experienced players that the likes of Partick Thistle have, because that’s not what the chairman Ronnie MacDonald is building at this club.

“I just wish that people would take a step back at times and see that.”

Hamilton aren’t in action again until they entertain Ross County on March 31, but already have selection headaches.

Richie Offiong, Alex Neil and Tom Parratt are all suspended, while new defender Chris Swailes is struggling to overcome a hamstring injury.