Accies 1, St Mirren 1: Monday, 23 February 1998

Tonight's game was yet another occasion where the team played good football, but lacked the killer touch in the penalty box. The result of this was that 2 points were dropped against what was a very poor St Mirren team.

Accies were boosted by the return of Allan Ferguson after a long absence caused by a hernia operation, but it was St Mirren who were the better team in the opening stages. In fact, it was about 15 minutes into the game before Alan Combe in the St Mirren goal touched the ball. The most dangerous incident was after only a couple of minutes when a vicious cross from the right was deflected over Fergie's bar by David Craig's knee. There then followed a spell of intensive Accies pressure, with Paul Ritchie in particular causing the St Mirren defence lots of problems with his direct style. However, as usual, we were denied by a couple of good saves by Combe and then a moment's slackness at the back allowed St Mirren to score the opener.

St Mirren's huge No 11, Iwelumo, was allowed to wander through the left of the Accies defence. His shot was well blocked by Fergie, but the ball broke to another player and he cracked it in from the edge of the box.

Accies completely dominated the second half. Time and again, there were 3 on 2 situations, but the chance to score never really presented itself. At the critical moment, either the wrong pass was given or the wrong decision made. Just when it seemed that it wasn't going to be our night, Accies got a penalty when Paul Ritchie was tripped by Alan Combe. There were no protests from the defence and the goalie was one of umpteen players booked. Sadly, Paul thumped the ball at Combe and he made the save. I thought that David McFarlane was fouled immediately afterwards, but nothing was given.

Fortunately, we were rescued from the depths of despair by an excellent goal from John McQuade. The ball was headed clear to the edge of the box, where three Accies players were waiting. John thumped it low and hard on the volley and we were level. After this, we had more chances to win it, but just couldn't score again. At the death, Fergie made a terrific save from Tom Brown and Davie Craig cleared the resultant shot from the line. It would have been an outrageous theft if St Mirren had won the game.

Strangely, although several Accies players didn't play particularly well, Sandy Clark didn't make any substitutions. The game was crying out for Steve McCormick, because Accies best football was when short passes were played on the deck, rather than high balls to Paul Ritchie. It looks as though some of the team really need to be rested for a while, but the board has an allergy to spending some of the money raised from the recent sales and the Rangers game.

Accies : Ferguson, Thomson, Renicks, McEntegart, Cunnington, Craig, McFarlane, Sherry, Ritchie, McQuade and McKenzie.

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