McCarthy: vital goal in race for league title

Mar 5 2008

MIDFIELD ace James McCarthy kept Hamilton’s title bid on track with a last-gasp equaliser at Queen of the South - but he was gutted that Accies didn’t take all three points.

Substitute McCarthy struck in the last minute to rescue a point from Palmerston Park on Saturday but felt that Accies’ second-half showing merited a win.

And with Dundee beating St Johnstone 3-2 with an injury-time strike, Hamilton’s lead has been cut to two points.

McCarthy (17), said: “We’re pleased to come down here and get a point because it’s a hard place to come to but I thought we could maybe have taken all three.

“It was frustrating to lose the goals we did and we had to grind it out in the second half but we did really well and got a point.”

McCarthy grabbed his sixth goal of the season in Saturday’s 2-2 draw.

And he admitted he wasn’t concerned with Queen of the South’s protests about the goal.

The Dumfries side claimed a player had been pushed in the build-up, prompting a booking for Andy Aitken and captain-for-the-day Stevie Tosh’s dismissal.

But McCarthy said: “Queens felt there was a push in the build-up to my goal but I don’t think so.

“All I’m concerned with was that I was able to run through and score.

“James McArthur put a flick onto it, I headed it on for myself and then knocked it past the keeper.

“I hope that shows a striker’s instinct but I’m just happy to get on the scoresheet and I need to get more goals.

“I haven’t scored that many goals but people have said they’re important ones.

“Some say my goal could be vital in the title race and hopefully it will be, but there’s a long way to go.

“We’ve got nine games to go and hopefully we can just keep grinding out results.”

Accies entertain Morton on Saturday and McCarthy hopes for a repeat of the outcome of Greenock club’s last visit, back in October, when he scored the winner. However, he expects a hard game.

He said: “They’re a good side with a new manager in Davie Irons, and they’ll be up for it.

“But we’ve got a decent record at home so hopefully we can get all three points.”