Scottish League Division 2, New Douglas Park, Hamilton
Saturday, 16 November 2002
Report by Gilbert Mowat
Accies lurched another step closer to Division 3 oblivion with this defeat against a Stenhousemuir side that had been propping up the table at 3 pm.
With Ian Macfarlane injured (yet again), Graham Potter took his place between the sticks. I know it's a bit cruel when the club are in difficult times, but the time must surely have come to seek a permanent replacement for Faldo. Even when fully fit, his form has slipped in recent months. But his injury record is lamentable. And unfortunately, his current stand-in is just not up to the job. There can be no mistake about this, the defeat by Stenhousemuir can be largely blamed on Graham Potter's inability to command his penalty area - or even his 6-yard box. I would hope that when the transfer window opens in January, the club will give Chris Hillcoat permission to seek out a new goalkeeper. There must be quite a few decent part-timers out there looking for a new club.
The visitors lined up with several former Albion Rovers players in the side, notably including former Accies reject Steve McCormick. Former Accies hero David McFarlane was confined to the subs bench as he's just recovering from his latest injury. However, he was to replace the injured David Graham after 29 minutes. By that time, the visitors were 1-0 ahead, courtesy of a good goal by Mark Booth following a counter attack after an Accies attack broke down. He found himself in space on the left hand side of the area before cracking the ball low past Potter.
The visitors came close to extending their lead twice from powerful shots by McFarlane that were well saved by Potter, although it has to be said that McFarlane and McCormick did little else to prove that they should still be Accies players. Accies picked up the pace after the opening goal and equalised through Brian McPhee after 31 minutes. A cross ball from Stuart Callaghan on the left wasn't dealt with properly by the Stenhousemuir defence and The Bee was able to thrash the ball home from close range.
After the goal, McPhee and visiting defender Gerry McKenna got involved in some fairly childish niggling. They were broken up by the referee following a foul by McKenna and the visiting player was booked by officious referee Ian Fyfe. McKenna then refused to shake McPhee's hand and you could see that there was no love lost between them. A couple of minutes later, as they were lining up at the edge of the penalty area for an Accies free kick, McKenna clearly took a kick at McPhee. McKenna was very lucky - the linesman on the far side was clearly unsighted while the referee was dealing with the free kick. Had he been seen, then the player would clearly have received a red card. That would undoubtedly have changed the outcome of this game.
In any event, Accies took the lead just before half time thanks to another excellent goal by Brian McPhee. Some neat play on the left wing between Eddie Cunnington and Stuart Callaghan gave Cal the chance to cross into the danger area. His ball went to the back post where Brian McPhee rose to meet it with a fine looping header into the far corner. The players and fans were ecstatic - at long last things were going right for Accies at New Douglas Park. That was the last action of the first half.
Although I have already mentioned the poor showing by Graham Potter, it must be said that he wasn't exactly helped by his defence. The two goals that were to win the game for Stenhousemuir were remarkably similar and very preventable. They both started with unnecessary rash tackles and ended with poor marking from the central defenders.
In the 51st minute, Ian Dobbins scythed down a Stenhousemuir player about 35 yards out. Jay Stein floated the free kick to the far post, where it should either have been claimed by Graham Potter or cleared by one of his defenders. None of this happened and Martin Harty was given a free header from close range.
What turned out to be the winning goal arrived 25 minutes later through similar circumstances. Allan Russell (bleached hair, white boots, little talent) chopped Stein down just inside the Stenhousemuir half and was correctly booked. With Stein off the park after receiving lengthy treatment, the free kick was sent high into the Accies area where Potter finger tipped it out of play for a corner. Stein then returned to the park and looked to have run off his injury in about a couple of nanoseconds. He ran over to the far corner and floated in a lovely corner that was bulleted home by defender Robert Coulter. Another corner unclaimed by the 'keeper - another free header in the danger area.
That was really it. Accies never looked like scoring again and the visitors very nearly extended their lead when Potter (again!!!) failed to come out for a very winnable cross and had to make a good save from a point-blank header.
It's hard to take anything positive from this game. I thought that Eddie Cunnington and Stuart Callaghan combined well down the left hand side while wee Ally Graham had another decent game on the right. (He was very unlucky to be booked for a foul that had been committed by Stuart Calllaghan). Brian McPhee did well as usual and I even thought that big Ally Graham had a slightly better game than usual. But that doesn't disguise the fact that he should be nowhere near an Accies shirt. The goalkeeping, central defending and midfield play was deplorable.
Sadly, I suspect that things will get worse before they get better. With the club facing horrific debts, I suspect that all of the full timers will be told they can move elsewhere for no fee when the transfer window opens in January. This would get some of the high earners off the wage bill. While it may rid us of some bad players, it may also see some of the better ones leave. We'll just have to take that on the chin. I can only assume that the inept board that took the club to the brink of closure thought that they would get huge crowds when the club returned to the town and budgeted accordingly. That would explain all the long contracts that were given to mediocre players.
To be honest, when you're not even halfway through the season and have already lost at home to Raith Rovers, Stranraer, Berwick Rangers, Forfar Athletic and Stenhousemuir, it's obvious that we really need an almost total clearout. That would appear to have happened in the boardroom. Now it has to happen to the playing staff.
Potter , Nelson (Russell 55), Cunnington (McDonald 88), Dobbins, Sweeney, Graham, Bonnar, Sherry, Graham (Armstrong 76), McPhee, Callaghan
© Accies World 2002
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