Cowdenbeath 2 Accies 0: Saturday, 16 September 2000

Last week I wrote a long review of the defeat by Albion Rovers at Firhill and suggested that it might represent "the lowest point in Accies recent history".

That might be true, but it will surely be a close run thing when compared with this appalling showing against a Cowdenbeath team which, while clearly deserving to win the game, was nothing special. Accies lined up with the suspended Jim Sherry and the injured Bill Davidson being replaced by David McFarlane and Chris Hillcoat respectively. For Hillcoat, this represented his first full game since a bad injury sustained last year. This meant that manager Ally Dawson had chosen to persevere with the lacklustre (to say the least) Alex Eadie and the inexperienced David Grant in defence.

For the first ten minutes or so, Accies looked as if they would be able to compete with Cowdenbeath. But then the home team took control, easily taking charge of the midfield area where Accies were nonexistent. They had a couple of close calls before taking the lead after 18 minutes. David Grant was easily dispossessed near the touchline. Alan Lawrence (our worst nightmare) made a run for the through ball which wasn't matched by a defender and shot low past Macfarlane into the corner. The Accies 'keeper got a hand to the ball but wasn't able to stop it.

With Accies behind, I had visions of a repeat of the game against Albion Rovers. Surely, Ally Dawson would have worked hard with his men in training to ensure that they were able to fight their way back into a game when behind. Accies did come close, with Michael Moore beating the ancient John Martin in the home goal to a cross ball. The ball bounced goalwards but was easily cleared by a defender. But the home team scored a second, killer, goal after 24 minutes and there was no way back for Accies. Chris Hillcoat lost the ball in his own half and it was worked out to the right wing. The ball was fired in low to the near post where Mark Nelson sliced it high into the net.

So it was 2-0 at half time and Dawson, as usual, replaced Allan Russell and David Grant with Gary Clark and Ross Maclaren. While I agree that Grant had to go off (the home fans had started to laugh at his ineptitude and the Accies fans were apopleptic for the same reason), I think Russell was unlucky to be replaced. He was not the worst offender in the Accies team but always seems to be the first man taken off by Dawson. It's safe to assume they won't be picking out curtains together any time soon.

The second half was a complete non event. Accies had one worthwhile shot at goal (from David McFarlane) but little else. Alex Eadie showed his quality (or lack of) with an attempt to reach a cross. He had actually landed again before the ball arrived. Mind you, the home team never looked like scoring again either.

The Accies fans had clearly had enough of this and many of them were calling for Dawson's head long before the final whistle.

It's impossible for Accies to take anything positive from this game. The defence were shambolic and the midfield totally absent. Up front, David McFarlane still looks like a good player but he gets little in the way of support and practically nothing of the ball.

People (myself included), who thought they would be a good bet for promotion have had a rude awakening. The team is desperately in need of someone who can provide a bit of width to the midfield to supply the strikers with the occasional chance. We also need a genuine ball winner able to compete on a physical level with the other third division teams.

If we don't get these players in soon, we'll be feeling grateful at the end of the season that there's no relegation from the Third Division.

But there are no positives to be taken from this game.

Accies were rubbish and the better team won.

Incidentally, this was the first visit by Accies to Central Park for nearly ten years. It hasn't aged well. I forgot to take my camera with me unfortunately, so you're spared the sight of the enormous tyres stacked behind each goal. (Central Park is home to stock car racing as well as football.) The toilets were an absolute disgrace and I'm surprised they get away with it. The floor was awash and I'm hugely relieved that I didn't have to use the single cubicle. It was reminiscent of that memorable scene from "Trainspotting", with the worst toilet in Scotland. I can't testify to the state of the ladies, but a young Accies fan took one look at them and decided not to bother. I know this sounds rich coming from a fan of a homeless club, but they were truly disgusting.

Accies : Macfarlane, Grant (Maclaren), Lynn, Hillcoat, Gaughan, Nelson, Russell (Clark), McFarlane, Eadie, Moore and Bonnar (Martin).

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