Accies 2, Hibernian 2: Saturday, 21 November 1998

This was a very strange day at the football. It started off in the Springbank Cottage on Maryhill Road, which was absolutely packed with Hibs fans. Fortunately, they weren't wise to the fact that the clock in the pub runs 10 minutes fast and most of them cleared off at half past two! It was also the day of the delayed entry boycott, which meant that a large number of Accies fans delayed their entry until 20 past 3 as a visible protest against club owner Jim Watson. Consequently, I wasn't there for the minutes silence for Douglas Park groundsman Willie McInnes who had died during the week. (Actually, I don't know if they did this and would assume that they couldn't be bothered.

Accies went into the game without regular strikers Michael Geraghty and Gary Wales, both of whom were injured. The bit of the first half that I did see was pretty much dominated by Hibs. Accies seemed to be continuing their poor form from the Stranraer match last week. Hibs took the lead when a simple cross from the right was tapped home by Mixu Paatelainen, who's given many a headache to dyslexic typists! I'm not sure exactly who fouled up to concede the goal, but we seem to be losing quite a few down the left side of the defence since our new left back, Colin Miller, came into the team. Accies were booed off the park at half time.

Unfortunately, the game didn't change much in the first part of the second half. That was until Hibs' midfielder Russel Latapy was shown his second yellow card for a fairly innocuous foul near the half way line. This gave Accies a glimmer of hope and they were the better team for ten minutes or so. That was until Colin Miller was criminally short with a headed passback to Ian McFarlane. Paatelainen managed to intercept and scored easily. It was ludicrous to see Miller giving his goalkeeper pelters after the goal. Hibs came close to increasing their lead a few minutes later as a shot from the right whistled past the post.

A change was clearly required and Miller provided it by replacing the ineffective Nicky Henderson and David McFarlane with Gary Clark and debutant Michael Moore. Shortly afterwards, Steve McCormick was injured and was replaced by Miodrag Krivokapic. Mio moved into the back 4, with Steven Thomson (I think!), moving up into midfield. The big Serb was excellent and might now find himself in the squad for next week. (This meant that we had the manager, assistant manager and commercial manager on the park at the end. What's wrong - doesn't Scott Struthers have a pair of boots?)

Just as we were wondering if Moore was any good, the teenager rose beautifully to meet a cross from Steven Thomson from the right and headed home brilliantly. It may well have been his first touch of the game. Accies were back in the game. Indeed, with only a couple of minutes remaining, Darren Henderson scored a great headed equaliser from another high cross from the right, this time from Miodrag Krivokapic. Accies continued to attack to the final whistle but that dramatic last minute winner didn't materialise.

This was an odd performance by Accies. For long spells they looked to be certainties for relegation and yet they showed enough spirit to come back from 2-0 down against the team considered to be an absolute shoe-in for the league. There are still deep problems with the squad, although it has to be said that they do try. Even Ian McAulay and Darren Henderson, who've looked really ropey in previous matches did a reasonable job today. There's no doubt, however, that we missed Geraghty and Wales up front. If they had played today we might even have sneaked it against a Hibs team who were very disappointing. "A Premier League team in all but name" - I don't think so.

Finally, there were loads of chants against Bill Sherry and, particularly, Jim Watson today. The campaign to give the club a future by wresting control from Deeka goes on. I'd like to say more, but I'm sure the law of libel extends to web pages and I can't afford Donald Finlay!

Accies : McFarlane, Renicks, Miller, Hillcoat, Thomson, McAulay, Tait, N Henderson (Clark), McCormick (Krivokapic), McFarlane (Moore) and D Henderson.

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