Hamilton Accies fail to beat Motherwell

Nov 12 2009 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

MAN-of-the-match Tomas Cerny admitted he’s disappointed that Hamilton didn’t win Saturday’s derby against Motherwell, but believes they need to take the point and move on.

A string of stunning saves from the Czech goalkeeper kept Accies in the game at times, not least of all from Ross Forbes’ penalty in the 38th minute.

Referee Craig Thomson barely controlled a stormy first half that saw Hamilton’s midfield ace Guillaume Beuzelin sent off 30 minutes into his starting debut, but the second half saw four goals and a wealth of chances for both sides.

Cerny said: “After the game, I had mixed feelings because I thought we were very close to winning the game, but we were also close to losing the game.

“It was a crazy game, especially in the last 20 minutes, but you have to take the point, stay positive, and keep going, I think.

“We’ve been playing quite well in the last four games, so we have to keep it going and we’ll be fine.”

Goalkeepers are usually modest when it comes to penalty saves, but Tomas was openly delighted.

He said: “That’s the third save I’ve made in front of the Spice of Life stand, because I made one last season as well, so it must be lucky for me but I don’t think about that.

“I’m happy that I kept the team in the game and it was very important to keep the score goalless until half-time.

“It was a great feeling, I was very happy, but I had to focus on the corner Motherwell had, so there wasn’t much time to enjoy it!”

This blood-and-thunder derby started at a frenetic pace and didn’t let up for most of the 90 minutes – but without creating too many early chances.

Motherwell thought they had opened the scoring on 12 minutes when Chris Sutton headed in from a corner on the right, but referee Thomson correctly chalked off the ‘goal’ for a foul on Cerny (right).

In the 21st minute, James Wesolowski linked well with Simon Mensing, and the ball broke to Beuzelin, but the Frenchman sent his shot past the left post.

Motherwell had a chance three minutes later when Chris Humphrey’s cross was clipped wide by Sutton.

Beuzelin picked up his first yellow on 29 minutes for a clumsy challenge on Jim O’Brien that probably didn’t merit a caution from the over-officious whistler.

But he could find no argument two minutes later when a cynical trip on Mark Reynolds saw him disappear up the tunnel.

Things looked to have gone from bad to worse seven minutes from half-time when Richard Hastings inexplicably tripped O’Brien as he made his way out of the box on the far right corner, and Thomson immediately pointed to the spot.

Forbes’ spot-kick was superbly blocked by Cerny, before Mark McLaughlin cleared the rebound into the stand.

From O’Brien’s corner, Reynolds’ powerful header was cleared off the line by Mickael Antoine-Curier.

Just before the interval, O’Brien’s 30-yard drive was brilliantly parried away by Cerny.

The Czech keeper started the second half in much the same form, with a brilliant double block from Reynolds and Sutton keeping Hamilton level.

Supporters in the 3,583 crowd were then treated to the bizarre sight of Accies kit man Danny Cunning being sent to the stand 10 minutes into the restart, for an altercation. Cunning has since been handed a two-match ban.

Hamilton took the lead on 61 minutes, when Marco Paixao’s corner from the right was headed into the net by Mensing to spark wild celebrations among the home crowd.

It could have been two just six minutes later when a superb defence-splitting pass from McLaughlin released Antoine-Curier on the right but, with Michael Fraser beaten, the striker watched in agony as his low shot squirmed inches past the left corner.

Motherwell sub Steve Jennings fired a shot narrowly wide as the visitors desperately tried to get back into the game. Their efforts eventually paid off in the 78th minute.

Jamie Murphy found himself with time and space in midfield and made his way to edge of the box. With no one closing him down, he unleashed an unstoppable 25-yard thunderbolt into the top corner.

The Fir Park men almost took the lead two minutes later, but Cerny brilliantly blocked a Reynolds shot before Jennings fired wide.

But when Antoine-Curier’s superb pass released Wesolowski on the right on 81 minutes, his pin-point cross was brilliantly headed past Fraser by Paixao for his third goal of the season and second in as many games.

But, again, the lead was short-lived as Giles Coke burst down the right and Lukas Jutkiewicz beat Grant Evans to the low cross and swept the ball high into the net.

Over the piece, honours even was probably fair, but having led twice after being down to 10 men for 60 minutes, Hamilton are justifiably disappointed not to have recorded a famous win.

HAMILTON: Cerny, McClenahan, Hastings (Evans, 45) (Elebert, 92), Canning, McLaughlin, Wesolowski, McArthur, Beuzelin, Mensing (Mills, 84), M. Paixao, Antoine-Curier. Subs (not used): Murdoch, Kissock, Kirkpatrick.

Sent off: Beuzelin.

Booked: Hastings, McClenahan.

MOTHERWELL: Fraser, Reynolds, Craigan (Murphy, 45), Coke, Humphrey, Jutkiewicz, Sutton, O’Brien (McHugh, 77), Hateley, Forbes (Jennings, 60), Saunders. Subs (not used): Kosiorowski, Lasley, Archdeacon, Page.

Booked: Jennings.

Referee: Craig Thomson.

Attendance: 3583.

Advertiser Man of the Match: Tomas Cerny – difficult to choose one from an excellent Hamilton performance but his penalty save and stops either side of half-time kept Accies level at crucial stages.