Accies 1 Airdrie United 3: 27 November 2004

Bell's Scottish Football League Division 1

New Douglas Park, Hamilton, 27 November 2004

Report by Gilbert Mowat

On many of the previous occasions when Accies have lost a league game this season, I have left the game feeling that they were unlucky, or the victim of bad refereeing or some other excuse. This time, the reason was simply that they played against a better team. As well as that wily old fox Owen Coyle up front, Airdrie have Allan Gow, who is undoubtedly one of the best players in this league. Between them these two players scored three excellent goals and they thoroughly deserved to win the game.

With Stevie Convery unavailable through injury for the umpteenth time, Mark Corcoran was brought back into the side. Accies were also missing Derek Ferguson, Todd Lumsden, David Hamilton and Pat Keogh, all of whom would have been considered for the starting X1 if they had been fit. Airdrie were at full strength. Accies lined up in a 4-4-2 formation, with Ricky Waddell assigned to a man marking mission on Airdrie winger Willie McLaren.

From the start, the visitors looked to be in control and Accies found it hard to get a touch of the ball in the opening minutes. They came close to scoring too, with a snap shot from the right wing that scraped Dave McEwan's post. It was a bit of a surprise when Accies took the lead after 11 minutes, with a well taken goal by Brian McPhee. The Bee latched onto a good through ball and slotted it neatly past the advancing Hollis. As it was, at long last, his first goal of the season, he celebrated in fine style.

Sadly, Accies lead was only to last for 13 minutes as Airdrie quickly regained their grip of the game and equalised with a fine goal by Owen Coyle. Allan Gow made a brilliant run to the byeline before picking Coyle out with a pinpoint cross and the veteran made no mistake with a sharp downward header from close range.

Accies came back into the game after this and came very close to regaining the lead. The ball broke to David Carney just outside the area and his wayward low shot took a ricochet off Brian McPhee. The ball was heading wide but an Airdrie defender took no chances and tried to clear. The ball broke to Mark Corcoran just inside the area but his powerful netbound shot was headed just over the bar. Mark McLaughlin got into the action as well but his good header was cleared with Hollis nowhere.

Airdrie had their chances too, with Coyle bringing an excellent save out of Dave McEwan. The game obviously had more goals in store, but unfortunately it was the visitors who grabbed the lead just before the break with an excellent goal by Allan Gow. He exchanged 1-2's with Own Coyle and was able to pick his spot. No blame could be attached to Dave McEwan, it was just that the defence was too static.

At the break, Allan Maitland made his only substitution of the game when he replaced the struggling Andy Arbuckle with Aussie Iain Fyfe. For some reason, Fyfe was only recalled from the half-time substitutes kickabout a couple of minutes before the team re-emerged. Perhaps the coaches had been trying to get Arbuckle sorted out for the second half before a late decision was made to replace him.

As the second period developed, it was clear that something dramatic would have to happen if Accies were to get anything from the game. Unfortunately, the only really dramatic thing that happened was the ordering off of David Carney just before the hour. Carney had been booked just a few minutes earlier for a rash tackle on an Airdrie man and there was no indication of the trouble that lay ahead when he got involved in a challenge inside the Accies half. The actual foul was eventually given against Airdrie, but it developed into one of those old fashioned rammys that you get once or twice a season. I think it started with a couple of players having a bit of a wrestling match on the pitch and it may be that Carney was a bit over the top with what he did. (But I have no idea and will check Scotsport on Sunday!) Mark McLaughlin and an Airdrie man were yellow carded for their actions as well. A couple of fans near me were encouraging the Accies players to get stuck in!

As Carney walked up the tunnel. Accies' hopes of retrieving the game vanished into thin air. Despite the occasional forays into enemy territory by Accies, Airdrie were always in control after that point. They closed off the game with 12 minutes to go, when Allan Gow made a great run into the Accies half and curled a superb shot into Dave McEwan's net.

It was one of those men against boys type of games, with Airdrie always that bit better in all areas of the park. The standout player was Allan Gow who scored two beauties and set the other up for Coyle. Owen Coyle was his usual hugely irritating self and he seemed to want to tell referee Kenny Clark what he should do at times. He moaned at the referee, at his assistants and was generally a complete pest. Just a shame that the bulk of his career has been devoted to the dark side.

Kenny Clark's performance was very poor. He failed to pick up on the cynical fouls being committed whenever there was an aerial challenge - Airdrie were better than Accies but they were also serial foulers.

So it was a bad game for the Hoops. Airdrie United are clearly one of the best teams Accies have had to face and I think they can be ruled out of the relegation competition on this display. There is indeed still a long way to go before anything is decided but major improvements are required throughout the team if relegation is to be avoided.

Hamilton: McEwan, Thomson, McLaughlin, Hodge, Waddell, Carrigan, Arbuckle (Fyfe 46), Carney, Corcoran, Tunbridge, McPhee. Subs Not Used: Irons, Aitken, Walker, Jellema.

Sent Off: Carney (55). Booked: McLaughlin, Corcoran, Hodge. Goals: McPhee 11.

Airdrie Utd: Hollis, Docherty, McGowan, Christie, Lovering, Marvyn Wilson, Roberts (Vareille 86), Hardie, McLaren, Coyle, Gow. Subs Not Used: William Wilson, Barkey, Dunn, McGeown.

Booked: Docherty, Lovering, McLaren, Christie. Goals: Coyle 24, Gow 43, 78.

Att: 2,295

Ref: K Clark

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