Scottish Cup Round 3

Palmerston Park, Dumfries,

7th January 2006

Report by Gilbert Mowat

Accies squandered a great chance to progress into the next round of the Scottish Cup when they lost a late goal against Queen of the South at Palmerston on Saturday. The two teams will meet again on Saturday in the league and will then replay this Scottish Cup tie on Tuesday 17th January at New Douglas Park.

Accies manager Billy Reid made just one change to the starting line-up from the win against Airdrie United on Monday, with Graeme Jones replacing Paul McMullan, who was relegated to the bench alongside Brown Ferguson, Steven Thomson, Mark Gilhaney and Raymond Jellema. Accies were strong favourites with the bookies against a Doonhamers side that had not found the net in the previous 5 matches.

The first half was reasonably entertaining, with Accies playing the better football of the two sides. They played some good stuff at times, but found it hard to create any decent chances for the strikers. Rudy Torres had a couple of headers that went off target, while Graeme Jones had the ball in the net but was penalised for being offside.

The home side did have a fair amount of the possession, but other than winning a few corners they did little to worry Dave McEwan in the Accies goal. Accies came closer to breaking the deadlock as the interval approached. Brian Carrigan did well after 41 minutes to get in a shot from the edge of the area that slipped just past the post. Then, just as the referee was checking his watch, Scott MacKenzie fired in a superb volley that was brilliantly turned over the bar by Barnard in the home goal. That would have been a cracker.

As it turned out, the opening goal was only delayed by a short while. In the 46th minute, Brian Carrigan chipped a free kick into the area and it was thundered home by the forehead of Mark McLaughlin to give Accies a deserved lead. Just a few minutes later, however, Accies suffered a real injury blow when both Brian Carrigan and Graeme Jones were replaced because of injury. Mark Gilhaney and Brown Ferguson took their places.

Those changes certainly changed the game and the home side took the initiative for a while. Accies found it harder and harder to make any chances for the front players and the home side really gave it all they had. This coincided with the introduction of Willie Gibson for the home side and he proceeded to pretty much take charge of things for the Doonhamers. There were few chances at either end, but the game was punctuated by loose passes and balls allowed to go out of play.

It seemed like Accies were going to be leaving Palmerston with a rare cup win under their belts when the home team equalised with just 9 minutes left. It came from a cross ball from their left that should have ben cleared. It went all the way to the back post where it was knocked back across the goal for Derek Lyle to rise highest and bullet his header into the net. It was a sickening goal for Accies to lose but probably no less than the home side deserved.

The last ten minutes were a bit frantic, with most of the action taking place in or around the Accies penalty area. But there were to be no more goals and the teams will have to fight it out at New Douglas Park in 10 days time.

Accies had three players booked. Torres for not retreating quickly enough at a free kick, MacKenzie for a foul and Alex Neil for a bit of nonsense with a Queens player. Billy Reid will be more concerned at the injuries sustained to Jones and Carrigan as well as his side's inability to win this game.

Queen of the South: Barnard, Paton, English, Reid, Thomson, Lovell, Burns, Bowey (McLaughlin 69), O'Neil (Robertson 74), Wood (Gibson 55), Lyle.

Subs Not Used: Scott, Carr.

Booked: Wood, Gibson.

Goal: Lyle 81.

Hamilton: McEwan, Robertson, Balmer, McLaughlin, McArthur, Fleming, Neil, MacKenzie, Torres (McMullan 80), Jones (Ferguson 50), Carrigan (Gilhaney 50).

Subs Not Used: Thomson, Jellema.

Booked: Torres, MacKenzie, Neil.

Goal: McLaughlin 46.

Att: 1,823

Ref: C Thomson

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