Accies certainly don't make life easy for themselves. This was supposed to be a straightforward cup tie against a weakened team from the lower league. As it turned out, Accies came perilously close to losing the game and only won it with the last kick of the ball.
It started out really well. Accies took the game to the visitors from the start and only a combination of poor finishing and bad luck prevented them from taking an early lead. Mark Corcoran had the best chance when he ran through a gap in the Rovers defence. Not for the first time, however, his shooting left a bit to be desired and the chance was lost.
Brian Carrigan was the next to try his luck with a fine snap shot from the edge of the box that was turned round the post by Chris Fahey in the Rovers goal. Andy Whiteford had a fine header from a corner on the right that scraped the bar and Mark Corcoran had a goal disallowed for offside after some brilliant wing play by Brian McPhee had set up young John Bailey. He fluffed his shot but it was rattled home by Corcoran. Sadly, but correctly, the linesman raised his flag for offside.
So it was no great surprise when Brian McPhee opened the scoring for Accies after 26 minutes. A ball down the right wing was headed towards Chris Fahey's goal by one of the Rovers defenders. His header was poor - short and to the wing - and McPhee sprinted clear to lob the ball over Fahey from a difficult angle. It bounced quite high and went into the net just inside the post before bouncing out again. Despite Fahey's pathetic attempt to play on, the Bee was celebrating.
A few minutes later and it was 2-0. This time Andy Arbuckle sent over a brilliant cross from the right and McPhee headed the ball down past Fahey from about 10 yards out. Rovers weren't out of the game completely and McEwan had to move quickly to tip the ball over the bar shortly afterwards. Chris Aitken had perhaps the best chance to make the game safe when he ran straight through the Rovers defence after Brian McPhee neatly distracted them (by falling over a defender.) His shot beat Fahey but missed the target.
Into the second half and this was where it all went a wee bit pear shaped for Accies. They certainly had their chances to make the game safe but, just as at Arbroath on Saturday, their scoring touch deserted them. And, just as at Arbroath, it was Brian McPhee who was unable to hit the target. Twice The Bee was left with only the 'keeper to beat but his first attempt was beaten out by Fahey. He tried again later and, after showing great skill to bamboozle the defence, he ballooned the ball high into the North Stand. No hat trick tonight!
At this stage, the Accies midfield began to lose the place. Perhaps, like the fans, they thought the game was safe. (It's all right for us to think that, but not for them.) Rovers began to take control of the game and pulled a goal back through McManus after 76 minutes. He took it well, beating the defender on the left of the box before thrashing the ball past McEwan. The Accies defence clearly didn't learn anything from that goal as they lost a nearly identical one two minutes later, with Kevin McAllister doing the damage in fine style.
With the Accies defence all over the place it was like the Alamo at times. The Rovers almost took the lead when the ball crashed back off the bar with McEwan well beaten. Accies had been looking a bit knackered and lacking in inspiration for about 10 minutes but the equaliser and the shot off the bar perhaps gave them the jolt they needed. They poured forward with Sandy Hodge and John Bailey looking impressive down the left side.
Just when we were all resigned to the inevitability of extra time, Accies won the tie with a classic goal. Chris Aitken got the ball about 20 yards out, lifted it over a defender and chested it down before smashing a great shot past Fahey. The ball was kicked off after the usual celebrations and then the referee blew to end the game. It was a brilliant way to finish.
During the first half, I thought Accies played some great stuff. But their complacency nearly cost them dearly. If they don't learn to kill teams off when they can then they won't have any success this season. Anyway, round 2 beckons.
Best for Accies were Andy Arbuckle, (although he tired in the second half and may have been partly responsible for the two goals), Brian Carrigan looked good again, Sandy Hodge was immense at the back and Brian McPhee should have had that first hat trick for the club. John Bailey looked promising but was a bit under used.
Brian McPhee won the sponsors bottle of champagne as the official man of the match.
Hamilton: McEwan, Arbuckle (Fitter), Whiteford, Hodge, Thomson, Sherry, Carrigan, Aitken, Corcoran (Paterson), McPhee, Bailey. Subs : Fitter, Paterson, Gribben, Waddell, Jellema
Albion Rovers: Fahey, Paterson, Farrell, Smith, Cormack, McCaig, McAllister, McCaul, Diack, McManus, Skinner.
Subs: McBride, Selkirk, McKenzie, Robertson, Swain.
Referee: S Conroy
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