Accies were knocked out of the CIS Cup in dramatic fashion at Hampden Park on Tuesday night. Accies managed to miss two spot kicks, with Derek Fleming and Richard Offiong (left) unable to convert from 12 yards. It was to be an eventful night for Offiong as he not only scored his first Accies goal but he also received a straight red card in extra time. (This rules him out of the Dundee game on Saturday.) Queens Park eventually won the game 2-1 in extra time.
CIS Cup, Round 1
Hampden Park, Glasgow, 8th August 2006
Queens Park 2 Hamilton Accies 1
Accies poor run of early season form continued when they were sensationally knocked out of the CIS Cup by the Glasgow amateurs on Tuesday night. With Alex Neil suspended for this game, manager Billy Reid introduced teenager Brian Easton for his debut at the back. Further forward, Spanish striker Javier Payo started the game with Paul McLeod relegated to the bench.
Accies almost made a fantastic start to the game when they awarded a penalty in the opening minute for a trip on Richard Offiong. The striker wanted to take the spot kick himself but he eventually made way for the experienced figure of Derek Fleming. Sadly, Fleming's insipid kick was easily saved by Queens goalkeeper David Crawford low down at the post.
The miss gave the home team a real boost and they took advantage just 5 minutes later when Steve Canning scored from just inside the area after good work by Frankie Carroll on the wing.
The home team gave the static Accies defence a few more scares before the interval while Accies didn't really create anything worthy of note before the break. Significantly, captain Marvyn Wilson was replaced by teenager Scott Agnew just after the half hour and must be a major doubt for the Dundee game at the weekend. Things brightened up for Accies after the break and should have equalised when they were given a second penalty, this one for an innocuous looking offence. Offiong strode forward to take this kick but his effort was identical to Fleming's kick and the goalkeeper saved easily.
Accies were beginning to dominate the game now and they eventually got the equaliser they deserved after 72 minutes when Richard Offiong took advantage of poor defending to lob the ball over the advancing Crawford and into the roof of the net. He took the chance well and it was a fine way for him to open his account at Accies. Accies gave the home team a bit of a lesson in passing and movement, but clear cut chances were very thin on the ground. Scott Agnew did very well with a couple of long range efforts but they were all well saved by Crawford in goals.
As the game went into extra time it seemed that Accies were in the ascendancy and likely to win. Then Richard Offiong appeared to strike one of the Queens Park players off the ball and was shown an immediate red card by the referee. This didn't initially make much of a difference to the pattern of the play but as the game wore on the Accies players missed his presence and Queens Park came back into the game. They weren't creating chances and saw little in the way of possession but they did eventually make the best of the chances they did create, with Richard Bowers taking advantage of more sloppy defending by Accies to lift the ball over Dave McEwan and give his side the winning goal.
Accies tried hard to get back on terms, with both David Elebert and Brian Easton pushed forward to try to save the game but it was not to be. It was a crushing disappointment for Accies and the home fans celebrated in style. On a bad night for the club there were a couple of encouraging individual displays by the men in purple. Richard Offiong looked a real find and, if he can control his temper, he should prove to be a success. Mark Gilhaney never gave up on the wing and Scott Agnew looked worthy of a starting position in the near future. But there was little else for the Accies support to enjoy in this poor showing by the team.
Queen's Park: Crawford, Quinn (Keane 118), Reilly, Sinclair, Dunlop, Kettlewell, Agostini (Ronald 105), Paton, Canning, Carroll (Bowers 71), Weatherston.
Subs Not Used: Molloy, Cairns.
Booked: Paton, Bowers.
Goals: Canning 6, Bowers 107.
Hamilton: McEwan, Stevenson (Parratt 69), Thomson, Easton, Fleming, Elebert, McArthur, Wilson (Agnew 33), Payo (McLeod 64), Offiong, Gilhaney.
Subs Not Used: McCarthy, Jellema.
Sent Off: Offiong (98). Booked: Wilson, Parratt, Thomson.
Goal: Offiong 72.
Att: 611
Ref: E Smith
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