Bell's League Division 1
New Douglas Park, Hamilton, 27 August 2005
Hamilton Accies 1
Carrigan 67
Dundee 1
Lynch 36
Report by Gilbert Mowat
Accies fought back from being a goal behind to gain a well deserved point in this entertaining yet ultimately frustrating game against managerless Dundee. That Accies could play so well against one of the main contenders for the Championship was very encouraging, particularly when you consider that first choice men like Ian Harty, Pat Keogh, Mark Gilhaney, Stuart Balmer and Lee Hardy were all sitting in the stand. When these players return, it looks like Accies will be really able to have a go in this league. Dundee had parted company with manager Jim Duffy during the week, so it was the familiar face of Gerry Britton in charge for the visitors and also in the No 10 shirt.
Accies got off to a cracking start and were in charge for the first half hour of the game. Some of their passing play was superb but they were just unable to apply the finishing touch when it mattered. Kelvin Jack in the Dundee goal made a great save when Paul McLeod ran clear in the box but other than that the Accies shots missed the target. McLeod came close later with a shot from 10 yards that found the side net. Scott Tunbridge rose well to a fine cross by Alex Neil but was just off target, as he was later with a volley from another cross from the same area.
It was really against the run of play that Dundee took the lead after 36 minutes, but it was a fine goal nonetheless. Winger Steve Robb somehow managed to nutmeg two Accies players out on the left wing before squaring the ball for Simon Lynch to tap home from close range. They almost extended their lead shortly afterwards with the Accies suddenly coming under some real pressure. The ball bounced about before being headed goalwards but Dave McEwan was able to grab the ball on the right side of the goalline. The half ended badly for Accies with teenage striker Paul McLeod being stretchered off with a hamstring injury just before the break. It was cruel luck for Paul who had been playing very well. It is now likely that he will miss the next few games as a result.
If Accies had been the better team before the break, the opening stages of the second period probably belonged to the visitors. However, the Accies defence coped pretty well with whatever was flung at them and a second goal for Dundee didn't look likely. The game settled down into a bit of a midfield stalemate, with Marvyn Wilson and particularly Alex Neil in fine form. Manager Billy Reid told me a few weeks ago that Neil would be a star in this league and it was there for all to see in this game. He won possession on umpteen occasions and always took time to find the right pass. Most of the best things that Accies did in this game were started by Alex. This included a startling effort by big Sandy Hodge. The full back, who has scored precisely once in his Accies career, ran up the left wing and thumped the ball towards goal. It dipped and swerved over the head of Kelvin Jack but just clipped the post before running out of play.
Neil was also involved in the equaliser, which arrived just after the hour. Alex Neil won the ball in midfield and played a nice pass to Brian Carrigan on the left. Carrots cut inside the full back and whacked the ball into the top corner before celebrating with his trademark somersault. It was interesting to see that Andy Sim, who had been standing at the edge of the pitch ready to come on, was immediately told to put his sweatshirt back on. I suspect that Carrots had been on the verge of the dreaded "hook" before that moment of inspiration.
Wee Andy did not have much time to wait for his introduction, as Derek Anderson (who had come on for his under '19 teammate Paul McLeod) went down in a heap after an off the ball challenge from Adrian Madaschi on the edge of the area. I have to confess that I was following the ball and missed the reason for the injury, but there were plenty of fans in the stand who thought that referee Callum Murray had missed foul play by Madaschi. After treatment, Derek ran back onto the pitch, blissfully unaware that he had been replaced. The Accies players and the Assistant Referee quickly pointed this out to him and he had to limp right around the park.
The goal certainly gave the Accies players a quick surge of adrenalin and for a while were completely on top. But chances were few and far between for both sides, with neither goalkeeper really having a save to make. Dundee were given a major fright near the end, when Kelvin Jack kicked the ball straight at Andy Sim on the far side. There was a tussle for the ball on the edge of the area, which ended with Sim being upended. The Assistant Referee raised his flag to indicate a foul but he was unfortunately overruled by referee Callum Murray who had seen nothing amiss. Dundee had a couple of attacks near the end but didn't come close to grabbing what would have been an undeserved winner.
This was a really encouraging performance by Accies given their lack of forward players. They had no failures and I thought Alex Neil in particular ran the show. The sponsors gave the man of the match champagne to Brian Carrigan, who had an excellent game and scored that all important goal.
Hamilton: McEwan, Robertson, Thomson, Hodge, McLaughlin, Carrigan, Neil, Wilson, Ferguson (McArthur 86), Tunbridge, McLeod (Anderson 41, Sim 72).
Subs Not Used: Stevenson, Jellema. Booked: Wilson. Goal: Carrigan 67.
Dundee: Jack, Smith, Mann, Hutchinson, Madaschi, Anderson, Brady, Britton (Ferguson 76), Robertson (Ela Eyene 86), Lynch, Robb.
Subs Not Used: Kitamirike, Dixon, Murray. Goal: Lynch 36.
Att: 2,091
Ref: C Murray
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