Scottish League Division 2, New Douglas Park, Hamilton
Saturday, 26 April 2003
Report by Gilbert Mowat
Accies consigned the Fifers to Division 3 with this 2 goal victory - their fourth win over the "Blue Brazil" this season. The result was never really in doubt after early goals by Brian McPhee and Martin Bonnar, although the visitors did give Ian Macfarlane a couple of scares as they chased the game near the end.
Accies did the damage with two well taken goals in the opening 16 minutes. Brian McPhee opened the scoring after only 10 minutes when he raced onto a long through ball that left the lumbering Cowden defenders hopelessly exposed. He drew the 'keeper, rounded him without trouble and then knocked the ball past the two despairing defenders on the line to grab his first goal for a month. Accies extended their lead just 6 minutes later when the ball broke from a crowded penalty area to Martin Bonnar at the edge of the box. He took his time before firing it past the 'keeper and in off the post.
Supporters of almost any other club you can name would have settled back to enjoy the remaining 74 minutes with the prospect of more goals to follow. It doesn't really work that way with Hamilton Accies. They huffed - and they puffed - but they failed to do any further damage to Cowdenbeath's defensive record. Accies should have been given the opportunity to increase their lead just before half time when Mark Keegans was bundled over in the penalty area - the kind of challenge that would definitely have been punished if it had occurred outside the box.
Both teams created a few chances - and it must be said that if the Fifers had brought their shooting boots with them they would not have lost the game. But Ian Macfarlane was in good form and he made a couple of really crucial saves late in the second half as the visitors turned up the pressure. Accies played reasonably well in spells but didn't really look as if they would score again. One of the reasons for this must have been the manager's decision to persevere with the young pairing of Mahdi Elfallah and Mark Keegans. Mahdi flatters to deceive - he looks OK sometimes but in general seems to be out of his depth. The same thing has to be said of Keegans, who has never looked good enough for Accies.
Hilly eventually pulled them both off, with big Ally Graham and young Darren Gribben taking their places. Neither had enough time to make much of an impression on this generally poor match and it petered out towards the end.
It's just as well that Accies won this game, as both of the other main contenders for relegation, Dumbarton and Stranraer, also collected full points. So the saga moves on to the Shyberry Stadium next week where Accies will face an Airdrie United team that has a genuine chance of promotion. It won't be a day for the faint hearted.
Macfarlane, wee Ally Graham, Cunnington (Sweeney), Dobbins, Kerr, Elfallah (big Ally Graham) , Bonnar, McDonald, Keegans (Gribben), McPhee, Callaghan.
© AcciesWorld 2003
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