East Stirlingshire 2 Accies 1: C.I.S. Cup Round 1: Tuesday, 8 August 2000

Accies were knocked out of the CIS Cup by an inferior East Stirlingshire team last night. On a bright summer's evening, Ally Dawson stood by the team which had defeated Dumbarton on Saturday, with Gary Clark still on the bench as an unused substitute.

The football itself was drab in the extreme, with Accies complacency and lack of application there for all to see. I've heard from a reliable source that the Accies players are of the opinion that they will stroll to the Division 3 title. If tonight's result serves as a wake-up call then perhaps it will turn out to be for the best. For make no mistake, Accies have truly reached their nadir with this inept display.

The quality of the football was very low. Time after time, Accies players got into good crossing positions only to chip the ball tamely towards the goalkeeper or thump it off a defender. In addition, some of them seemed to think they could get away with strolling around like some kind of prima donna. Wake up guys, you're in the third division now and the only way out of it is to work hard. The lack of effort shown by the majority of the players was disgraceful.

Accies came to life briefly in the second half when the ineffective Brian Vaugh (unfit?) was replaced by Michael Moore. He made an immediate impact on the left and his low cross was knocked home at the far post by Allan Russell. Just as we thought we were going to get away with this poor show, the Accies defence opened up like the Red Sea for one of the 'Shire forwards to bundle the ball past Ian McFarlane.

Almost immediately afterwards, Alex Eadie contrived to hit the bar from only a few yards out and the ball was cleared. With our spirits sinking at the prospect of another 30 minutes of torpor, the home team's number 8 waltzed past three Accies defenders, none of whom bothered to tackle him, to score easily past McFarlane. The small band of home fans went bananas and the game was effectively over.

So it was a bad night for Accies at Firs Park. I was amazed that Ally Dawson left Gary Clark on the bench when the midfield was clearly struggling to create chances. When those players who normally play well (such as Bill Davidson and Davie McFarlane) have an off night you really need the newer players to show what they're made of. Last night, it looks as if the vast majority of them haven't got very much to offer.

I really hope that Dawson gave his players an absolute bollocking for this performance. I also hope that Dawson gets a roasting for his boring tactics and the questionable quality of the players he has brought to the club.

I desperately want Accies to stroll to the title. On this showing there's no chance of that happening.

Accies : McFarlane, Nelson, Lynn, Davidson, Gaughan, Vaugh (Moore), Bonnar, Sherry, Eadie, McFarlane (Kelly) and Russell.

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