Berwick Rangers 1 Accies 0: Saturday, 8 March 2003

Scottish League Division 2, Shielfield, Berwick

Saturday, 8 March 2003

Report by "Scoop"

Accies can have only themselves to blame for this, the latest in a long line of defeats this season.

In the first half the Reds were totally dominant. Only a combination of poor finishing and bad luck kept us from having the match completely sewn up by half time.

Despite this and somewhat predictably, in the second 45, the tide was to turn slowly but surely in Berwick's favour.

So much so that when they did eventually score nobody around me was in the least bit surprised.

Accies lined up 4:4:2 with one change from the Cowdenbeath game, Andy Arbuckle in for wee Ally Graham.

Right from the beginning Accies were on the attack being denied what I thought was a stonewall penalty in the 3rd minute when Ally Graham was clearly bundled in the box. However the ref thought otherwise - perhaps his view was obscured by the size of Ally's shorts!

Peter Flynn then hit a couple of good cross shots one of which was well saved by the Berwick keeper Ross

Godfrey. Accies were truly dominant and in 19 minutes Ally Graham hit the underside of the bar with a well

taken shot on the turn from 6 yards with the keeper nowhere. Callaghan should also have done better with rebound.

Graham then had a fierce left foot drive from the edge of the box well saved, before Allan (Supermodel) Russell missed his customary open goal when put straight through one on one with the keeper.

At this point the (very) small band of Accies fans were beginning to get anxious, such was our inability to stick the ball in the net. Nonetheless, Big Ally Graham was winning everything in the air and putting on a masterclass in chest control the likes of which has not been seen since Anna Kornoukova's last sportsbra promotional video.

Godfrey then had another couple of good saves from Graham before the interval beckoned. The half time verdict from my companions Save Me Jeebus and Claude Balls: "all over them".

Almost from the start of the second half though things began to go wrong. Berwick had a header cleared off the line in 48 mins, then a slip from Dylan Kerr let Alex Burke clean through on the Accies goal forcing a great save with his legs from Graham Potter.

Straight up the other end a good move involving Flynn and Graham led to Bonnar having a good shot from the edge of the box well saved by the somewhat showy Berwick keeper. However Accies dominance was definitely wavering and big Ally was beginning to lose his sparkle.

The Berwick number 7 (Forest, I think) then out of the blue hit a thumping crosshot which smashed off the underside of our bar, with Potter struggling - a lucky escape.

Accies by this stage had completely resorted to the long ball game - not very pretty by any means. Berwick though kept plugging away - Ally Graham then cleared a shot off our own line before the inevitable arrived with about 15mins left .

A loose defensive header in the box from Kerr fell at the feet of Alex Burke whose cross shot from 10 yards sped neatly past Potter into the Accies net.

This prompted something of a grandstand finish from the Accies, with several Arthur Montford style stramashes in the Berwick box.

Hillcoat also sent on Armstrong for Flynn - but it was not to be.

Our best effort was a long range shot from Bonnar acrobatically tipped over the bar by the Godfrey.

So in summary despite starting very well, this game was a big big disappointment. Berwick got out of jail and at very best deserved a draw. For the Accies: unless we start converting our superiority when we can, relegation beckons.

Best for Accies on the day were Big Ally Graham ( esp first half), Allan (talk to my agent - no not the football one) Russell, Graham Potter, and Martin Bonnar.

Underperforming were Jim Sherry ( lack of match practice?/ too much time spent ironing?)and Dylan Kerr

( too many mistakes).

As for the scenery? well the ground Shielfield Park is of course a complete dive. The town of Berwick is quite nice though - with a strange mixture of Scots / Geordie accents. Stopped off nearby for some quality fish & chips on the way home, so the day wasn't quite wasted after all.

Still I'd rather do this than watch an old firm game any day.....

Hamilton: Potter, Arbuckle, McDonald, Kerr, Sweeney (Dobbins), Flynn (Arbuckle), Bonnar, Sherry, Graham, Armstrong, Callaghan.

© AcciesWorld 2002

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