2006-09-16 Partick Thistle

Accies went down 2-1 to Partick Thistle at New Douglas Park on Saturday. Tony Stevenson scored Accies' goal from the spot but Accies lost a bad goal at the end of the game to gift the points to Partick.

New Douglas Park

Saturday, 16th September 2006

Hamilton Accies 1 Partick Thistle 2

Accies slumped to their first home league defeat in almost 6 months when a late goal by substitute Graham Gibson gave all three points to Partick in an entertaining game at New Douglas Park. This was a tough one for Accies to take as they had looked for long spells as if they were going to win the game.

Manager Billy Reid made a few changes to the team that had played against Clyde, with Tony Stevenson, David Winters and Richard Offiong returning to the side. There was still no sign of the injured quartet of McEwan, McLaughlin, Wilson and Neil. Ultimately, this lack of experienced men was to cost Accies the game. The visitors had just one former Accies man, Scott McCulloch, in their team but no fewer than three (Keogh, Ferguson and Hodge) on the bench. Accies settled quite quickly and were the top team for long spells in the first half. They forced a fair number of corners and were able to put the visiting goalkeeper under real pressure. However, despite the fine delivery of cross balls from Tom Parratt and Derek Fleming, they were unable to threaten the goal too much.

After about half an hour of domination by Accies (with Raymond Jellema very much a spectator), the visitors began to come into the game. They took the lead after 38 minutes when Adam Strachan drifted in from the left wing and found Derek Young with an excellent pass. The former Dunfermline and St Johnstone man steadied himself before drilling the ball low past Jellema from 12 yards. This was rough luck for Accies but they trailed at the interval.

During the half time break, there was a presentation to former Accies goalkeeper Rikki Ferguson and he was the deserved recipient of sustained applause from the Accies fans. Rikki made more than 500 appearances during his Accies career and remains a hero to the Accies fans.

If there's one thing about Accies manager Billy Reid it's that he does not hesitate to make changes to his team if things are not working out. Consequently, the decision to replace Brian Wake and Scott Tunbridge was not a total surprise and it brought Paul McLeod and Richard Offiong into the action. This change was needed because Thistle were running the show in midfield and Accies were finding things very difficult. The changes definitely increased the pace of the Accies attack and they took the game to the Jags once again.

An equaliser looked likely but when it arrived it came from a surprising source. Accies won yet another corner kick and this one was inexplicably handled in the air by Billy Gibson, who was yellow carded for the offence. David Winters fancied his chances from the spot, but Mark Gilhaney reminded him that Tony Stevenson was the designated penalty taker and handed the ball to his 18 year old teammate. Young Tony made a fine job of the kick, cracking the ball into the roof of the net for his first Accies goal.

The goal gave Accies real impetus and for a while they really took the game to the tiring Jags. Richard Offiong's pace was causing problems on the right and he spurned a fantastic chance to give Accies the lead. He raced through on goal and his shot shot from a tight angle flew just past the post. If he had taken the time to look about him, he would have seen that Paul McLeod was in plenty of room in the middle and would have had a tap-in if Richard had passed instead of shooting. Accies created another couple of half chances and you felt that the game was theirs for the taking.

However, they lost their momentum completely when young Tom Parratt sustained an injury and had to be replaced by Gerry McLaughlin with 7 minutes remaining. The break in play for treatment to Tom gave the Partick players a chance to regroup and it was they who looked the better team from then on. With Pat Keogh and Graham Gibson having come on for Derek Young and Simon Donnelly, they began to stretch the inexperienced Accies defence. In fact, Accies had Raymond Jellema to thank when he made a brilliant one handed save to deny a certain Keogh goal. Big Paddy was left with only Jelly to beat but his lob was underhit and the Accies 'keeper made an excellent stop. Jellema made another good save as the game came to a close but it was ironic that it was his late error that was to gift the win to Partick.

With just a couple of minutes left, he elected to trap the ball rather than let it run out for a harmless goal kick. He was near the corner flag but decided to kick the ball upfield from there rather than take it into the middle of the park. His clearance reached the centre circle, where it was headed back towards the Accies goal by Keogh. Graham Gibson ran onto it and tucked it past Jellema, who was out of position. It was a bad goal to lose but then his saves had kept Accies in the game towards the end.

This was a very disappointing result in a game that Accies should have won. There are some great young players in the team and when the key injured men return, they will do very well in the league. However, they will have to try not to make those daft individual errors.

Hamilton Accies: Jellema, Parratt (McLaughlin 83), Elebert, Easton, Fleming, Tunbridge (McLeod 56), Stevenson, McArthur, Gilhaney, Wake (Offiong 56), Winters. Subs Not Used: McCarthy, White.

Goal: Stevenson 66 pen.

Partick Thistle: Tuffey, Sives, Boyd, Campbell, McCulloch, Billy Gibson, Young, Brady, Strachan, Donnelly (Keogh 72), Roberts (Graham Gibson 72). Subs Not Used: Hodge, Ferguson, Arthur.

Booked: McCulloch, Billy Gibson. Goals: Young 38, Graham Gibson 88.

Att: 2,290

Ref: M McCurry

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