Hamilton Accies cruise to success at Stirling

Jul 22 2010 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

Hamilton cruise to success at Stirling

HAMILTON ACCIES got their pre-season fixtures underway on Saturday with a routine win over the Second Division champions.

Boss Billy Reid used the match to field a different XI in each half and take a look at a number of trialists but his side looked strong throughout against a Stirling Albion side who simply didn’t have an answer to Accies’ passing play and power.

Starting in their predominantly yellow-and-blue away kit, Hamilton got off to the best possible start in four minutes when trialist striker Albert Manteca Buldo headed fellow trialist Eddie Malone’s cross into the bottom corner of the net.

Flavio Paixao went close in 17 minutes when he darted down the right and before stinging the palms of the Stirling keeper from close range.

Some good defending from the host 60 seconds later prevented Buldo from notching his second when Malone’s cutback was diverted away just as he lined up a shot.

Stirling didn’t threaten until 31 minutes when defender David Elebert was guilty of a trip that probably would have resulted in a card in a competitive match, but the resulting free-kick was wasted.

Scott Robertson should have done better two minutes later for Albion, but headed over from a good position.

Accies had the last chance of the half but Malone’s curling 20-yard free-kick was well saved.

An entirely new line-up turned up for the second half, wearing Accies’ traditional red-and-white hoops.

Stirling got off to a good start when trialist Alex Williams darted clear on the left and sent a delightful chip over Tomas Cerny, only to see it clip the far post and bounce to safety.

Just before the hour-mark, Jim McAlister linked up well with Dougie Imrie before sending a shot wide of the right post.

Burly defender Brian McQueen burst through the Albion ranks four minutes later, but blasted high and wide from 25 yards.

Imrie then had a shot well held in 63 minutes, before Accies put the game beyond any doubt two minutes later – with a slice of good fortune.

Jordan Kirkpatrick darted past a few defenders on the right and fired in a cross which seemed to take a wicked deflection off the goalkeeper before trundling over the line – although McAlister followed up to make sure the ball had gone in.

Imrie should have put a cap on a useful day with seven minutes to go when he brilliantly lifted the ball over a few defenders before bearing down on goal, and sending a low shot agonisingly wide of the right post.

The former Clyde and Inverness winger then went close with a late 30-yard free-kick.

HAMILTON (first half): Cerny, Ross, Malone, Trialist 1, Elebert, McLaughlin, F. Paixao, Wilkie, Trialist 2 (Buldo), Trialist 3, Lyle. Subs (not used): Kennedy, Crawford, McArthur, Gillespie.

HAMILTON (second half): Cerny, Graham, Skelton, Mensing, Canning, McQueen, Kirkpatrick, Trialist 4, Imrie, Trialist 5, McAlister. Subs (not used): Kennedy, Gillespie, Hopkirk.

lAN Accies XI beat a Queen’s Park Select 5-4 in a closed-doors friendly at Cleland on Monday.

Accies fielded a mix of first-team, under-19s and trialists, but Queen’s took an early lead through a penalty.

Ali Crawford equalised and Derek Lyle put Accies in front before the Spiders levelled.

Queen’s Park took the lead in the 66th minute, Crawford levelled with a penalty, then Euan Lindsay put Hamilton 4-3 in front.

Crawford netted his hat-trick in 74 minutes before Queen’s pulled another goal back four minutes later.

HAMILTON returned to action against Queen of the South at Palmerston Park on Tuesday evening as they were held to a 0-0 draw.

Accies boss Billy Reid used the exercise to cast his eye over three trialists, but it was Flavio Paixao who was causing Queens several problems.

The First Division side threatened first in 14 minutes when ex-Airdrie winger Willie McLaren’s cross fell to David Weatherston, but his shot was blocked by Tomas Cerny.

A minute later Flavio’s dangerous cross fell to Dougie Imrie, but Lee Robinson was equal to it.

Queens’ new signing, ex-Kilmarnock star Allan Johnston, nearly raised the roof with a side-footed effort from Derek Holmes’s lay-off, but it flew wide.

Hamilton took the initiative early in the second half and Flavio found brother Marco with a great through ball, but he blasted over.

Simon Mensing nearly grabbed the winner in the closing minutes but his header from a corner was cleared off the line.

Last chance fell to Queens, with McLaren’s 25-yarder saved by Cerny.

HAMILTON: Cerny, Ross, Trialist, Canning, Mensing, Skelton (Roxburgh, 65), F. Paixao, Trialist (Lindsay, 59), Imrie, Trialist (Wilkie, 78), Kirkpatrick (M. Paixao, 45).