Accies give Bairns a fright in final friendly

Aug 2 2007

HAMILTON Accies completed their pre-season programme with a hugely encouraging performance at Falkirk on Tuesday.

At this stage the result isn’t important, but boss Billy Reid will be pleased that his side ran their SPL hosts fairly close, and lost to a wonder-strike by Kevin Moffat.

True, Moffat also struck woodwork in the second half, but considering Falkirk’s wealth of talent — including the mercurial Russell Latapy, despite turning 39 years of age today (Thursday) — this match will have done Hamilton’s confidence no harm going into Saturday’s curtain-raiser against Dunfermline.

Reid put out a strong side in the first half, which included Bryn Halliwell, Tom Parratt, David Elebert, Mark McLaughlin, Richard Offiong and Neil Teggart.

And they started by far the better team.

Marc McJimpsey, McLaughlin and Parratt went close, before Hamilton grabbed a deserved 11th-minute opener when Teggart was tripped by Amau Riera as he made his way into the box.

Referee Mike Tumulty immediately pointed to the spot and although trialist keeper Zibi Malkowski got a hand to it, Teggart’s spot-kick ripped into the bottom left corner.

Accies continued to attack, with a Parratt cross from the right headed over by Teggart in 13 minutes.

But Falkirk levelled in 21 minutes when Latapy’s searching ball sent Steven Thomson racing down the right and his cross was headed in at the far post by Michael Higdon.

A superb through-ball by McJimpsey released Mark Gilhaney in 25 minutes, but the winger’s low drive was well saved by Malkowski.

A minute later Russell Latapy sliced open the Accies defence with an angled pass which sent Moffat clear, but Halliwell blocked at his feet.

McArthur set up Gilhaney in 29 minutes, but his low drive was again saved by Malkowski.

Hamilton nearly regained the lead in 31 minutes when a McJimpsey corner on the right was headed past Malkowski by Stuart Taylor, but cleared off the line.

And Falkirk grabbed their winner a minute later when Moffat found himself in space 30 yards out on the right and let rip with a soaring drive.

Halliwell got a hand to it, but couldn’t prevent the ball from flying into the top left hand corner of the net.

Far from being disheartened, Hamilton hit back and Parratt’s cross from the left was headed inches over the top right corner by Taylor in 34 minutes.

Accies rang the changes at half-time, with only Halliwell, McJimpsey and David Elebert keeping their places.

Trialist Ben Webster, James Gibson, Grant Evans, James McCarthy, Tony Stevenson, Paul McLeod, Brian Wake and Kevin Davison were thrown on.

Sub Ali Crawford — who replaced McJimpsey after 57 minutes — released McLeod with a well-timed through ball on the hour-mark, but Malkowski gathered at his feet.

Moffat nearly grabbed a second goal in 73 minutes when his ambitious chip from the left touchline dipped over Halliwell but crashed off the far post, with sub Graham Churchill blasting the rebound over.

In 85 minutes Wake darted down the left and his cutback found McCarthy, but Malkowski blocked at his feet to prevent an equaliser.

FALKIRK: Trialist, Allison, Mitchell, Riera (Churchill, 67), Trialist (McMahon, 45), Aafjes (Nicol, 79), Moffat, Thomson, Higdon (Stewart, 67), Latapy, Craig. .

HAMILTON: Halliwell (Trialist, 76), Parratt (Webster, 45), Easton (Gibson, 45), McJimpsey (Crawford, 57), Elebert (McQueen, 68), McLaughlin (Evans, 45), Taylor (McCarthy, 45), McArthur (Stevenson, 45), Offiong (McLeod, 45), Teggart (Wake, 45), Gilhaney (Davison, 45).