Accies got their League campaign off to the worst possible start when they went down 2-1 to the visitors from Angus. Accies lined up with just one change from the team that played St Johnstone the previous week, with Ryan Maxwell replacing Jim Sherry in midfield. The visitors included their new striker Paul Shields, alongside high scoring Paul Tosh. Former Accies midfield man (from the bad, dark days at Firhill), Darren Henderson was on the bench.
The first half was a fairly drab affair, with Accies having plenty of the ball but being unable to test Neal Ferrie in goal. Brian Carrigan had a couple of opportunities, one from close in and one from long range, but they were really the best attempts Accies could muster. Brian McPhee fired in a couple of crosses from the right but overhit them and the chances were lost. Mark Corcoran was a constant threat on the left wing and a couple of Forfar men were booked for fouling him on the touchline.
I have to confess I was beginning to lose count of just how many Forfar players were booked, but I think it was 7. But they were "professional" enough to share the bad fouls around so that nobody was sent off. To be honest, a few of the bookings in the game were unnecessary, but there's always a danger of a high crime count when diminutive referee Colin Hardie is in charge. However, I thought his booking of Brian McPhee (for charging down a free kick) was correct.
Forfar had looked fairly dangerous going forward in the first half and Dave McEwan in the Accies goal made a couple of excellent saves to keep the scoresheet blank at half time. Perhaps the players could be forgiven their lack of inspiration given the scalding conditions the match was played in.
The game burst into life in the 53rd minute when Brian McPhee broke clear on the left before rounding the Forfar 'keeper Brown to score. His shot could have been blocked by one of the two defenders on the line but they were unable to keep The Bee from finding the net, to his great joy.
Accies had a great chance to increase their advantage moments later when Brian McPhee fired the ball over the bar from close range following great work on the right. Unfortunately, Accies then managed to concede a couple of really soft goals within a few minutes, to send the couple of dozen Forfar fans into raptures. First of all, Chris Aitken tripped a Forfar man on the edge of the area and Paul Tosh scored from the spot.
Even worse followed just a few minutes later when Paul Shields got the better of Todd Lumsden and cracked the ball past the exposed McEwan from close range to give Forfar the lead. To be honest, that was really the end of Forfar's exertions as an attacking force and the remainder of the game really belonged to Accies.
Chances came and were missed, which was better (although more frustrating) than if the chances weren't created at all! Some of the misses were astonishing, no more so than when Brian McPhee brilliantly knicked the ball from Ferrie on the touchline before squaring it across goal. The onrushing Alan Waddell, who had just come on as a sub, was unable to score from close range thanks to the intervention of a defender at the wrong moment!
Barry Forbes brought a brilliant save out of Ferrie after some great play on the left. Accies then produced the best move of the game. The ball was played out of defence to Brian Carrigan, just inside his own half. With great vision, he back-heeled the ball to Brian McPhee, who immediately fired it wide to Mark Corcoran. "Corky" ran on and sent over a brilliant cross into the area. McPhee's header was powerful but straight at the 'keeper, who managed to block it to safety. It was great stuff - even one of the freeloaders on the hill opposite the stand applauded.
But the most frustrating miss came when Todd Lumsden, who had tried his luck with a shot earlier, sent in a piledriver that cannoned off the junction of the bar and post with Fernie helpless. With only 5 minutes left, a goal at that time could have spurred Accies on to victory.
It was not to be, however, and the visitors clung on for all three points.
Best for Accies were Dave McEwan, John Fitter (who is proving to be quite a find), Brian Carrigan, Mark Corcoran and Brian McPhee. If Accies had been rubbish and not tried hard to win the game, then there would have been grounds for huge depression at this result. However, they didn't give up and played some really excellent football that, on another day, would have given them the win they deserved.
A disappointing start but all is not lost. There are still 35 games remaining!
Hamilton: McEwan, Fitter, Steven Thomson, Lumsden, Forbes, Carrigan, Maxwell, Aitken, Corcoran, Convery, McPhee.
Subs: Sherry, Waddell, Whiteford, Robert Walker, Jellema.
Forfar: Neal Ferrie, Rattray, David Stewart, McClune, Lowing, Lunan, Horn, Sellars, Davidson, Tosh, Shields.
Subs: Florence, Maher, Taylor, Henderson, Brown.
Referee: C Hardie
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