The new season got off to a disastrous start on Saturday when Accies lost 6-0 to Division 2 champions Gretna. Gretna had been hotly tipped to make a big impression in Division 1 this season and they were not slow in living up to their big reputation on a grim day for the Hoops.
Bell's League Division 1
Raydale Park, Gretna, 5th August 2006
Gretna 6 Hamilton Accies 0
Match report by George Grandison
The new season league campaign got underway in the worst possible fashion for Accies with a comprehensive defeat by newly promoted Gretna. The Raydale Park side were in complete control of the match from start to finish and, had it not been for some excellent saves from Dave McEwan, the score could have been even worse. Alex Neil, Marvyn Wilson and Derek Fleming returned to the Accies lineup after missing much of the pre-season and were joined by new signing Richard Offiong.
The early exchanges were even although the warning signs were there for Accies as early as the fifth minute when McQuilken was allowed to burst through the inside left channel and McEwan had to turn his shot over for a corner. At the other end Offiong managed to break free on the right and his cross was turned behind. The opener came on 14 minutes when some neat build up passing gave Steve Tosh acres of space in the heart of the Accies defence to sidefoot home easily from 15 yards out.
Worse almost followed immediately, with a backwards header falling short and giving Gretna a chance from a tight angle. The ball was cleared with Gretna appealing loudly that the ball had crossed the line. Dave McEwan was again called into action and produced a great one handed save after a 1-2 opened up the Accies defence but he was left helpless on 26 minutes when Steve Tosh added his and Gretna’s second. The Accies defence were struggling to cope with Gretna’s speed and power and could have been three down when Deuchar won the ball on the right and his cross was turned onto the post before being scrambled clear. At the other end Mark Gilhaney produced a great dribble on the left wing but his cross to the back post was beyond Offiong’s reach.
Three minutes before the break and Accies fell further behind to a superb individual goal by James Grady. The Gretna man produced a deft flick to get away from Thomson and finished in style by lifting the ball over the advancing McEwan. Any thoughts Accies may have had of getting back into the game in the second half were snuffed out immediately as Tosh pounced on a poor Thomson clearance to complete his hat-trick. McEwan produced another superb one handed save before Gretna again hit the woodwork.
The Accies keeper spoiled what had otherwise been a great individual performance by mis-kicking a clearance on 69 minutes. McGill accepted the chance and rolled the ball into an empty net. Paul McLeod had a late chance to score after heading the ball away from Townsley but pulled his shot wide from 18 yards and Accies’ miserable day was completed three minutes from time when McGill added a sixth.
Gretna: Main, Canning, McQuilken, Tosh (Jenkins 74), Townsley, Innes, McGill, McGuffie, Deuchar (Graham 70), Grady (McMenamin 70), Skelton.
Subs Not Used: Nicholls, Mathieson.
Goals: Tosh 14, 26, Grady 42, Tosh 48, McGill 69, 87.
Hamilton: McEwan, Stevenson, Fleming, Thomson, Elebert, McLeod, McArthur, Wilson (McCabe 77), Offiong (Payo 74), Neil (Agnew 77), Gilhaney.
Subs Not Used: McCarthy, Jellema. Booked: Neil, Fleming.
Att: 1,691
Ref: C Hardie
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