James Wesolowski reckons Accies dropped two points against St Mirren.

Mar 4 2010 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

MIDFIELDER James Wesolowski reckons Accies dropped two points in Saturday’s goal-less draw at St Mirren.

But the Australian conceded that the point might prove vital as Hamilton bid to avoid relegation from the SPL.

Hamilton started the better team and with sharper finishing could have had the points safely tucked away by half-time.

Gus MacPherson’s side were also extremely fortunate to keep 11 men on the park after referee Crawford Allan showed leniency to substitute Craig Dargo following a shocking lunge on Accies captain Alex Neil ... less than 60 seconds after being booked for a foul on the same player.

Weso, on loan from Leicester City until the end of the season, said: “We feel that it was two points dropped. After the way we played in the opening 20 minutes and for most of the second half, we feel that we deserved the three points.

“That point might be vital at the end of the season, however, so we’ve got to look on that as a positive.”

With a vital month ahead that sees Accies entertain Aberdeen, St Mirren, Falkirk and St Johnstone, with a midweek trip to Kilmarnock tucked in, James knows they need points.

He said: “I’m looking forward to playing Aberdeen on Saturday. The last time we played them I scored in a 2-1 win up at their place and that was a great feeling.

“This is one of a vital three or four games coming up. We hope to get back to picking up points and we want that to start on Saturday.”

Accies should have opened the scoring in five minutes when Paul Gallagher’s poor clearance was pounced on by Simon Mensing and he sent James McArthur clear on goal on the left, but the midfielder shot wide of the right corner from eight yards.

Mensing and McArthur linked again in 10 minutes, with the latter darting towards the bye-line before sending in a cross that was just too far ahead of Dougie Imrie.

Four minutes later Wesolowski sent McArthur down the left and his cutback was hacked off the line by Chris Innes with Gallagher beaten.

Brian Easton’s corner from the right was cleared only as far as Neil, but his dipping volley landed inches past the right post.

It took Saints fully 18 minutes to threaten, but Michael Higdon’s shot on the turn was no threat to Tomas Cerny.

Cerny did have to look lively in 34 minutes, however, and did well to hold Billy Mehmet’s deflected free-kick.

Five minutes later Mehmet took a pass from Higdon, turned Martin Canning and fired in a shot, but again Cerny wasn’t unduly troubled.

Accies could have taken a lead into the interval when an Easton free-kick was knocked down to Mensing, but his half-volley flew inches over.

Hamilton were dealt a major blow when Wesolowski pulled up with a hamstring complaint and he was replaced by Flavio Paixao in 48 minutes, but it was a precautionary measure and the midfielder should make Saturday’s squad.

Easton nearly scored a bizarre opener in 56 minutes when his cross from the left threatened to dip under the crossbar, but Gallagher pushed it over.

McArthur saw a netbound effort deflected past in 67 minutes before Marco Paixao’s corner on the left was cleared off the line moments later.

Dargo picked up a booking for clattering Neil in 68 minutes and went through the Accies captain moments later, but referee Allan failed to take further action.

Mark McLaughlin went close with a header from Marco Paixao’s corner in 81 minutes as Accies searched for a winner, but it wasn’t to be.

ST MIRREN: Gallagher, Innes (Johnson, 20), Potter, Mair, Barron, Murray, Thomson, Dorman (Carey, 69), Robb, Mehmet, Higdon (Dargo, 62). Subs (not used): Howard, O’Donnell, Loy, McLennan.

Booked: Dargo, Mehmet.

HAMILTON: Cerny, Canning, McLaughlin, Elebert, McClenahan (M. Paixao, 58), McArthur, Neil, Wesolowski (F. Paixao, 48), Mensing, Easton, Imrie. Subs (not used): Murdoch, Van Zanten, Evans, Thomas, Crawford.

Booked: Easton, McLaughlin, Neil, Elebert.

Referee: Crawford Allan.

Attendance: 3628.

Advertiser Man of the Match: Alex Neil – ran the midfield.