Bell's Cup Final

Excelsior Stadium, Airdrie,

6th November 2005

Report by Gilbert Mowat

In the last couple of seasons, it has been the team that has won the Bell's Cup that has gone on to claim promotion to the SPL. Unfortunately, if that happens then the St Mirren boardroom will contain two trophies come the end of the season. I doubt if too many Accies followers will have cause for complaint about the result of this game. Accies boss Billy Reid opted for an experienced lineup that contained Stuart Balmer, Steven Thomson and Mark McLaughlin at the back and a front pairing of Graeme Jones and Pat keogh up front. This meant that regulars John Robertson and Brian Carrigan were on the bench.

After a half hour delay to allow the near capacity crowd to get into the stadium, St Mirren took the game to Accies from the start and Dave McEwan's goal led a bit of a charmed life at times. However, the big goalie was in fine form and he did really well to turn a thundering shot by Kirk Broadfoot over the bar with just a few minutes on the clock. The Saints took charge for long spells of the half and they deservedly took the lead after 22 minutes. Accies had been giving away soft free kicks throughout the game but this time they were made to pay for it. Dave McEwan had to dive full length to parry a beauty from 20 yards and Simon Lappin was unlucky to see his shot from the rebound crash back off the crossbar. The ball was immediately sent back across goal and it was Lappin who thumped it home past an exposed McEwan.

If the Accies goal was under siege for quite a lot of the half, the defenders and especially Dave McEwan were at full stretch to keep St Mirren's lead down to a single goal. However, as the half wore on Accies started to play a bit and created some chances of their own. the best opportunity falling to Pat Keogh who made space on the left before firing in a low shot that brought the best out of Chris Smith in the St Mirren goal. Accies looked to have suffered a blow after 36 minutes when Graeme Jones limped off. However, that brought Brian Carrigan into the game and Carrots turned out to be one of Accies' best players.

There were to be no further goals in the first half but it only took Accies a couple of minutes to equalise after the break. Brian Carrigan fired in an excellent low shot that Smith couldn't hold and it was Scott Tunbridge who arrived first to thrash it gleefully into the net. If the first half had belonged to the Saints, the second half was a much more even affair with Accies probably looking the better side. For long spells in the half it seemed that St Mirren had no answer to Carrigan's trickery and the fine footwork of players like Scott Tunbridge, Pat Keogh and especially Alex Neil. Accies probably should have taken the lead when Carrigan laid the ball of beautifully to Pat Keogh on the right wing. Big Paddy waited and placed his cross right onto Carrots' right boot but he fired well wide from the middle of the 6 yard line.

With the Saints defence being pulled all over the place, half chances were being created but not converted. Billy Reid decided to change things after 77 minutes and there was a cheer from the fans for Paddy Keogh when he left the field but also to welcome 21 years old striker Mark Gilhaney into the action. Unfortunately, the wee guy had only been on the pitch for 5 minutes when St Mirren were to score what proved to be the winning goal, with John Sutton rising well to head home a cross from the right by David van Zanten. This was cruel luck on Accies who had been in charge of the game at the time and had been restricting St Mirren to counter attacks. This was doubly harsh on David McEwan who had been playing particularly well and had taken a thump on the head from Stuart Kean for his troubles. Unfortunately, this led to the St Mirren fans giving him verbal abuse for most of the second half.

Accies redoubled their efforts after this but there were to be no further goals. They were unlucky during stoppage time when Alex Neil cut in along the byeline and his shot was deflected into the net. However, it was clear that the ball had just gone out of play before he took his shot. After the usual couple of extra minutes and some hopeful long balls being mopped up by the Saints defence, referee Stuart Dougal blew his whistle and St Mirren were the winners.

To be honest, they just about deserved to win the trophy. Particularly in the first half they were just that wee bit sharper and had more to offer. However, this was a good performance by Accies and they were far from disgraced against the league leaders. Although Accies didn't win, I don't think any of the large Accies support would have left the stadium feeling that their team didn't give everything they had. It just wasn't to be.

St Mirren: Smith, van Zanten, Millen (Reilly 76), Potter, Broadfoot, Murray, Adam (Mehmet 69), McGowne, Lappin, Kean, Sutton. Subs Not Used: Reid, Corcoran, Hinchcliffe.

Booked: Murray, Broadfoot. Goals: Lappin 22, Sutton 80.

Hamilton Accies: McEwan, Thomson, Balmer (Robertson 81), McLaughlin, Tunbridge, Wilson, Neil, MacKenzie, Fleming, Jones (Carrigan 38), Keogh (Gilhaney 77). Subs Not Used: Ferguson, Jellema.

Booked: Mclaughlin, Thomson, Tunbridge. Goal: Tunbridge 47.

Att: 9,612

Ref: S Dougal

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