Parratt shouldn't get in a flap over blunder

Feb 21 2008

BRIAN Easton this week absolved his Hamilton defensive team-mate Tom Parratt of any blame for Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at St Johnstone.

Right-back Parratt, who has enjoyed an outstanding season, was short with a passback that enabled striker Peter MacDonald to score Saints’ late winner.

Easton (19), who tried desperately to clear MacDonald’s lob off the line, said: “Tom was really disappointed in the dressing room afterwards and he never really said any words, except to say ‘sorry’ for the second goal, but he knows you can’t really pin anything on any one player – it’s a team effort.

“We win as a team and we’re going to lose as a team.

“There were about three people on the line at the goal and we tried to read the situation because he didn’t have anybody to play it to, but it went over James McArthur’s head and unfortunately the linesman judged that it was over the line.”

Easton was bitterly disappointed in the McDiarmid Park defeat, and felt Accies would keep hold of their first-half lead, courtesy of a stunning goal by Mark Gilhaney.

But the big defender knows Accies weren’t at their best.

He said: “Our performance on Saturday was nowhere near the previous week’s against Dunfermline. That was us at our best; we killed the game off early and defended well. But on Saturday … we were 1-0 up in the first half and even the gaffer said at half-time that we could do a lot better.

“St Johnstone had a lot of possession in the latter bit of the second half but I felt we were going to hold out for a 1-0 win. In the last 15 minutes we ended up conceding two goals, which was really disappointing.

“I feel sorry for Mark Gilhaney, because he scored a cracking goal that was worthy of winning any game, but we couldn’t hold out for it and now it counts for nothing.”

Easton now just hopes Accies can pick themselves up in time for Saturday’s crucial visit by Livingston, having seen their lead over Dundee at the top of the First Division cut to just four points.

He said: “Saturday’s game is going to be massive... but it’s going to be like that every game for the rest of the season after the defeat at St Johnstone and Dundee winning their game.

“That’s our lead over them cut to four points and we’re 10 ahead of St Johnstone.

“Every game is going to be like a cup final for us from now on.”