Wilson’s first goal for Accies brings sweet revenge win

Apr 5 2007

HAMILTON exacted revenge over a lacklustre Ross County side on Saturday with a deserved win, courtesy of Marvyn Wilson’s first goal for the club.

The 1-0 scoreline was actually more comfortable than it would suggest. Although Hamilton took their foot off the pedal and invited the visitors to attack, County never looked that likely to score, although Don Cowie was inches away from snatching an undeserved equaliser with 10 minutes left.

County boss Scott Leitch was upset with referee John McKendrick’s refusal to award a soft-looking penalty in 60 minutes, but the former Motherwell captain would be better served asking why his side didn’t show enough fight as they flirt with relegation.

Quite simply, the passion, hunger, desire and quality that saw County rack up a convincing 4-1 win over Accies in Dingwall just over a fortnight ago wasn’t there.

Hamilton boss Billy Reid made four changes to the side that dumped Partick Thistle.

Suspended duo Tom Parratt and Richard Offiong were replaced by Marvyn Wilson and Brian Wake, while Tony Stevenson, who had been deputising for the banned Alex Neil, was on the bench in favour of David Winters. Young winger Mark Gilhaney was preferred to Paul McLeod, who also found a sub’s position, alongside 15-year-old Ally Crawford.

However, Jamie McClen was missing from the squad for the second successive game and it was later revealed that the midfielder had been released that day.

Hamilton created a great chance inside the opening minute. James McCarthy’s delightful reverse pass down the left released Wake and a flick of his right boot sent the ball flying past outrushing Italian keeper Matteo Tomei, only to bounce narrowly past the right post.

McCarthy was the architect again in nine minutes, finding Gilhaney in the box with an excellent pass. His rifled close-range effort was brilliantly parried by Tomei, with James Gibson unlucky to see his drive from the rebound crash off the bar.

Hamilton deservedly took the lead in 11 minutes. A good move on the edge of the box involving Winters and McCarthy saw the 16-year-old release Marvyn Wilson, who beat the offside trap to calmly draw Tomei and slot the ball into the bottom right corner for his first goal in Accies colours.

Great work by Wilson just inside the County box sent Gilhaney racing through in 27 minutes, but the winger drilled the ball past the near post from eight yards.

Tomei gave his side a scare in 31 minutes when he spilled a 30-yard strike from Wake on his goal-line but he quickly recovered to prevent a second goal.

Alex Keddie should have done better than send the ball harmlessly over when presented with a free header at the right post in 36 minutes.

Three minutes ahead of the break, Winters went on a mazy run that took him past several County players but he ran out of steam and his 22-yard shot was straight at Tomei.

Leitch threw on Diarmuid O’Carroll for Dene Shields at half-time and the on-loan Celtic starlet immediately made an impact as County stepped up a gear.

Hamilton threatened first, when Gibson went on a good run down the right but his cutback fell just too far ahead of Gilhaney.

Don Cowie’s 20-yard rocket shot was parried by keeper Sean Murdoch in 60 minutes, with a rebound chance cleared from Sean Higgins by Brian Easton. The striker went down a bit theatrically, and referee McKendrick correctly dismissed the Dingwall side’s claims.

Wake latched onto a defensive error in 63 minutes but was let down by his close control and the chance was lost.

Seconds later, a brilliant block by Gibson sent an O’Carroll drive over at the right post.

An outstanding McCarthy pass sent Winters through on goal in 70 minutes, but Mark McCulloch’s brilliant last-gasp tackle partially blocked the striker’s shot, allowing Tomei to gather.

County’s best chance fell to captain Don Cowie in 80 minutes when he found space inside the box, but his 12-yard drive flew past the right post, with Murdoch beaten.

Substitute McLeod should have wrapped up the points in 89 minutes when he was sent down the right and drew Tomei but slipped his angled shot agonisingly wide of the left post.

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