Accies climbed up to 2nd place in the league with a fine 3-1 win over Gretna at New Douglas Park on Saturday. David Winters (left) scored an excellent opener early on and Richard Offiong doubled the lead before the break. Steve Tosh reduced the deficit after the hour but substitute Brian Wake finished off his old club with a close range header. The only downside from the game was an injury to Accies defender Derek Fleming, who suffered a hamstring injury near the end of the game.
New Douglas Park
Saturday, 28th October 2006
Hamilton Accies 3 Gretna 1
Accies leapt up to second place in the table with this exciting win against title favourites Gretna. For the fist time in ages, manager Billy Reid was able to name exactly the same 16 as had drawn the game at Dens Park last week. The pre-match media comment had been dominated by the 6-0 thrashing that Gretna handout to Accies on the opening day of the season, but Billy Reid was clear when he said that this match would not be a revenge mission, it was just another three points. Going into the game, Gretna were defending an unbeaten away record and they were the bookies' favourites to win this match.
Gretna settled into the game quite well but they found it very hard to get much change out of the Accies defence. As at Dens Park 7 days before, youngsters David Elebert and Brian Easton were given a thorough test and they came through with flying colours. With only Richard Offiong playing in a forward position, it was clear that Billy Reid's tactics were to soak up the pressure from Gretna and make use of Offiong's pace up front.
Accies came close to grabbing the opening goal in the early stages of the game, with Paul McLeod hitting the post with a well struck shot from the edge of the area.
The Gretna defence was finding it hard to cope with Offiong and another good piece of play by the Englishman ended with James McArthur volleying the ball over the top from close range. However, Accies did not hang about and they took the lead after 14 minutes with an excellent goal. With Gretna dithering after being penalised for a foul on the half way line, some quick thinking by Alex Neil saw the ball being fired out to David Winters wide on the left. He controlled the ball beautifully, before striding forward and beating Gretna 'keeper Greg Fleming from just outside the area. It was Winters' first Accies goal and he was delighted with it.
The visitors came back into the game and were unlucky not to draw level when Kenny Deuchar beat Raymond Jellema with a back heeled effort. Happily, the ever alert Tom Parratt had covered the goal line and was able to clear. The Accies defence was under intense pressure from high crosses and long throw-ins, but they did well to restrict genuine chances to a minimum. Things got even better for Accies when they doubled their lead after 30 minutes. Richard Offiong won an aerial battle for the ball before laying it off to David Winters. He made a good diagonal run into the area before returning the ball to Richard Offiong and the striker cracked the ball low past Fleming before celebrating in style.
Accies nearly grabbed a third goal before the interval, but Offiong blasted the ball high over the bar when he probably should have done better. Steve Tosh came mighty close to pulling a goal back just before the break when, presented with one of his team's few real chances, he blasted the ball against Raymond Jellema's post from 15 yards. None of the Accies fans in the crowd were complaining at a two goal lead at the break.
The Gretna players cut short their half time interval and had to hang around on the pitch for a couple of minutes before the Accies players and the match officials joined them. This gave Davie Irons the opportunity to go round the team in turn and make it clear that they would have to improve in the second half. There was no such chat for Kenny Deuchar or Ryan McGuffie, however, as they had been left in the dressing room. James Grady and David Graham took their places.
The pattern of play in the the early part of the second half was similar to that of the first with Gretna having plenty of possession and Accies being quite happy to let them have it. Richard Offiong squandered no less than two one on one chances that would have sealed the game for Accies. The first time he did quite well with Fleming making a good save, but the second chance was blasted over the top when he really ought to have scored. Gretna pulled a goal back just after the hour with Steve Tosh curling an excellent low free kick around the wall and in off the post from just outside the area. The goal really should have been prevented and it meant that we were in for an anxious remaining 26 minutes.
However, although Colin McMenamin missed a decent chance from a tight angle, Accies got back into their groove and played some really nice stuff, with Alex Neil and David Winters playing particularly well. Billy Reid decided to make his first change after 75 minutes, when he took off Richard Offiong. The big striker had run himself into the ground, scored a good goal and generally been a menace all afternoon. Had he been carrying any luck, he would have had a hat trick. This brought Brian Wake into the game against the club that rejected him in August.
Which made the big guy's headed goal from close range just a few minutes later extremely sweet and he seemed keen to remind the Gretna staff of this in his celebrations. That was really it for the game as a contest. Gretna never looked like getting back into the game and Accies came close to scoring again, with the ball just being missed inside the Gretna penalty area when the slightest touch could have created a goal. Gretna defender Craig Barr was yellow carded for a foul on David Winters. As he had been booked in the first half for a dangerous foul on the same player, he took the walk of shame back to the dressing room.
The final significant moment in the game came when Derek Fleming went down with a pulled hamstring. He was immediately replaced by Tony Stevenson but it was clear that Billy Reid was very disappointed that such an influential player had been injured. After playing a full four minutes of additional time, referee Scott MacDonald blew for full time and the Accies players received yet another well deserved ovation from the supporters.
This was a very impressive performance from Accies and they were well worthy of the three points. Best in the hoops were Tom Parratt, Derek Fleming, Alex Neil, David Winters and Richard Offiong. James McArthur won the official man of the match award. But really no criticism can be aimed at anyone wearing red and white today. They gave their all, kept their shape and took more chances than the opposition. That's all you can ask for.
Hamilton: Jellema, Parratt, Elebert, Easton, Fleming (Stevenson 83), Winters, McArthur, Wilson, Neil, Offiong (Wake 75), McLeod. Subs Not Used: Agnew, McCarthy, White.
Goals: Winters 14, Offiong 30, Wake 78.
Gretna: Fleming, Barr, Canning, Paarpalu, Granger, Jenkins, Tosh, McGuffie (Graham 46), Skelton, Deuchar (Grady 46), McMenamin. Subs Not Used: Townsley, Nicholls, Mathieson.
Sent Off: Barr (81).
Booked: Barr.
Goals: Tosh 64.
Att: 1,608
Ref: S MacDonald
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