Nervy encounter as Accies pass Forthbank test

Mar 27 2008 By Andy McGilvray at Forthbank

Stirling Albion 0 Hamilton Accies 1

JAMES McCarthy’s early strike was enough to give Hamilton full points against a battling Stirling side at Forthbank on Saturday.

While the basement battlers put up a struggle, Hamilton made life more difficult for themselves than a side that by their own website’s admission is probably heading back to the Second Division.

Hamilton played some good football, particularly in the first half, but slack finishing and an occasional lack of cohesion up front prevented them from grabbing a killer second goal.

Recognising the importance of the game Accies boss Billy Reid travelled to Springkerse with his strongest-available squad.

James McCarthy came in for suspended Simon Mensing, while assistant manager Stuart Taylor was on the bench, eventually making his first appearance since November 24.

It took Hamilton just three minutes to score what proved to be the winner, when Alex Neil and James McCarthy combined to send Mark Gilhaney darting down the right and his inch-perfect cross was drilled into the bottom right corner by McCarthy, leaving keeper Myles Hogarth helpless.

David Graham sent a chip just too far ahead of Richard Offiong in six minutes, and the striker headed a Neil cross over three minutes later.

In 17 minutes Tony Stevenson’s curling free-kick from the left was brilliantly clawed out of the top right corner by Hogarth, and Neil’s rebound cross was headed just past the right post by David Elebert.

Hamilton were furious when Albion striker Colin Cramb appeared to use a hand to control before setting up Steven Bell a minute later, but he drilled a low shot past the right post.

Graham’s cross was volleyed over by Gilhaney in 20 minutes.

But the winger did better 60 seconds later when he picked Offiong out on the edge of the box and the striker clipped a curling effort past Hogarth, but also round the right post.

Offiong went close again in 25 minutes, but saw his glance-header saved, following good set-up play by Graham.

Albion threatened again in 36 minutes when Nathan Taggart saw his shot blocked on the edge of the box and Cramb sent the rebound inches over.

Neil was withdrawn at half-time due to injury, with his place taken by young James Gibson.

The second half was far less eventful, with both sides seldom making significant inroads.

Just six minutes in McCarthy sent Offiong racing through the middle, but the striker lost out as keeper Hogarth raced out to head clear.

Elebert gave Accies a scare in 61 minutes when his tame passback landed in the path of Albion striker Jay Rodriguez, but keeper Tomas Cerny raced off his line to block well.

Four minutes later Gibson firmly met a Stevenson corner with a header, but Hogarth saved well.

Cerny was alert to clutch Chris Aitken’s cross in 72 minutes, just before lurking Craig Malloy could connect with a header.

Malloy then passed up a good chance in 81 minutes, weaving his was through Hamilton’s defence on the left and creating space for himself, before inexplicably cutting back to sub David McKenna, whose shot was routinely held by Cerny.

McCarthy and Gibson linked well in 88 minutes, with the latter squeezing his shot inches past the right post from just inside the box.

Stirling had one last chance in the final minute, with Cerny parrying Bell’s fierce effort from an acute angle turned past the right post by Cerny.

STIRLING: Hogarth, Nugent, McCay, Ellis, Paartalu, Aitken (McBride, 73), Bell, Malloy, Cramb (McKenna, 68), Rodriguez, Taggart (Trialist, 68). Subs (not used): Lithgow, Christie. Booked: Ellis.

HAMILTON: Cerny, Stevenson, Easton, McCarthy, Elebert, McLaughlin, Graham (Grady, 70), McArthur, Offiong (Taylor, 80), Neil (Gibson, HT), Gilhaney. Subs (not used): Swailes, Halliwell. Booked: Neil, McArthur, Taylor.

Referee: John McKendrick.

Attendance: 984.

Advertiser Man of the Match: James McCarthy – scored a brilliant winner and was involved in most of Hamilton’s positive moves.

Stirling Albion.............................. 0 Hamilton Accies.......................... 1

(Photos by Andy Clinton)