Accies got the new league campaign off to the best possible start when they defeated Dunfermline at New Douglas Park on Saturday. New signing Stuart Taylor got Accies up and running with a debut goal after just 4 minutes, but Mark Burchill capitalised on a defensive blunder to equalise a quarter of an hour later. Last year's top scorer Richard Offiong scored the winner from 12 yards just after half time.
Hamilton Accies 2 Dunfermline 1
New Douglas Park
Saturday, 4th August 2007
Just 12 months ago, Accies' first match of the season was a disastrous 6-0 hammering down at Raydale against a team that had just been promoted from the second division. How times have changed. In this game, they were again playing the title favourites whose last match was the Scottish Cup Final. The major difference was that this time the players in the opposition side had a wealth of SPL experience behind them. However, it's a good indication of the progress made by Billy Reid's young side in the last year that they were able to win this game and to win with some style. Although the margin of victory was narrow, there was no doubt in the eyes of any in the sizeable crowd that Accies deserved to get the three points.
Accies lined up with a solid formation, with Billy Reid opting for the experience of Chris Swailes alongside David Elebert and Mark McLaughlin at the back. This meant that there was no room in the starting XI for regular right back Tom Parratt, who was one of the substitutes. Stuart Taylor made his debut in midfield after joining from Airdrie United and Paul McLeod partnered Richard Offiong in attack. James McCarthy was on the bench. The Pars fielded several of the team that competed in the Scottish Cup Final in May but also included new signing Kevin Harper on the right wing. Their substitutes included Jim Hamilton and Stevie Crawford, strikers that any team at this level would love to have on their books.
Prior to the game there was a minute's applause for Jim "Kit" Kennedy, Accies long serving scout and kit man who had recently passed away a week earlier. This was well observed by all in the stadium and just have been an emotional moment for those who knew him.
The class of the visitors showed in the first few minutes of the game as they pushed Accies onto the back foot. They almost scored the opening goal when David Elebert nodded a cross ball just wide of his own goal. However, Accies took the lead after 4 minutes with what was their first attack of the game. It started in midfield, where James McArthur picked out Mark Gilhaney on the left wing with a sublime pass. Mark cut inside right back Greg Shields and fired in a low shot. Goalkeeper Roddy McKenzie made the save, but the ball looped up behind him. Stuart Taylor was right on the spot to nod the loose ball home and score an early goal on his Accies debut.
The goal gave Accies a huge boost and they went in search of more. Stuart Taylor nearly had another chance to score but his shot was blocked. Then Richard Offiong sent over a great cross from the right that was headed goalwards by James McArthur. His header bounced before it reached McKenzie and the 'keeper was able to tip it over the top. Accies were to regret these missed opportunities when the visitors drew level after 18 minutes. The goal came when a long ball towards the Accies defence wasn't cleared properly by Chris Swailes and Bryn Halliwell was left in no man's land. Mark Burchill was following up and he tapped the loose ball into the empty net to send the big travelling support into raptures. The Pars took great heart from this and dominated the next few minutes of the game. kevin harper came close to giving them the lead with a curling shot that went just wide of the target.
Just before the interval, Richard Offiong nipped in between the Dunfermline defenders to take possession of a poor pass from Shields. He was left with a one-on-one against McKenzie from about 15 yards. However, with many of the Accies fans rising to their feet to acclaim his first goal of the season, he shot just past the post. Mind you, it was good to see that the striker was in the mood, even if he did miss that great chance.
Billy Reid made a significant change at the interval, with Tom Parratt replacing Chris Swailes. This gave the Accies defence more balance and they were also able to benefit from the way Parratt linked well with the midfield. The other game changing incident occurred just a couple of minutes after the interval when Stuart Taylor charged through the heart of the Dunfermline defence. He was in the act of shooting from 15 yards when he wa fouled by Phil McGuire. Referee Dougie McDonald immediately pointed to the spot and showed McGuire the dreaded red card. At this point, Richard Offiong grabbed the ball and seemed to have a conversation with Assistant Manager Taylor about who would take the kick. With Taylor already having scored, it was really important to the team that Offiong get his first goal of the season and he tucked the ball into the bottom corner.
There were to be no further goals, but Accies really dominated the second half. Mark Gilhaney had a great spell as he tormented Greg Shields in particular with his trickery. One excellent bit of footwork ended with a cross that Richard Offiong was just unable to reach. Richard pulled up with what appeared to be an attack of cramp at that point as his lack of pre season match practice came back to haunt him. He seemed disappointed that the referee didn't stop the game for him to receive treatment and it was a couple of minutes before he could be attended to. He did come back into the game for a few minutes but then Billy Reid decided to make a double substitution, with Offiong and McLeod being replaced by Brian Wake and James McCarthy.
If anything, this double change improved matters for Accies and it was good, in particular, to see McCarthy back in action. Accies had a couple of half chances to close the game off, with Brian Wake nearly scoring from a quickly taken free kick. The game boiled over after 77 minutes when there was a mass pushing and shoving contest in midfield. Referee McDonald flashed yellow cards at Stuart taylor, Alex Neil and Scott Wilson and things calmed down again. As you would expect. the visitors threw caution to the wind and by the end they had Jim Hamilton, Mark Burchill and Stevie Crawford up front, with Tam McManus having been replaced. However, the Accies defence was able to cope with the threat posed by these experienced forwards and really didn't look like conceding an equaliser.
This was largely due to the excellence of David Elebert, Mark McLaughlin and Brian Easton, who all had terrific games. Alex Neil was back to his best in the heart of midfield and his partner James McArthur was magnificent. One piece of dazzling skill, when he dribbled around a bemused opponent, was definitely worthy of a far higher level of football. Mark Gilhaney had the Pars defence in knots at times and his manager was singing his praises after the game. However, the man of the match had to be Stuart Taylor. At last Accies have a midfielder who can time his runs into the penalty area and score goals too.
This really was a very good performance by Accies and one that will fill them with great confidence for the season ahead. The young players have clearly benefited from their experiences of last season and they weren't fazed by playing in front of a larger than usual crowd against quality opposition. Billy Reid got his tactics spot on and didn't hesitate to make that vital change at half time. His players gave him everything.
Hamilton: Halliwell, Elebert, Easton, Taylor, Swailes (Parratt 46), McLaughlin, McLeod (McCarthy 72), McArthur, Offiong (Wake 72), Neil, Gilhaney.
Subs Not Used: McJimpsey, Cerny.
Booked: Taylor, Neil.
Goals: Taylor 4, Offiong 47 pen.
Dunfermline: McKenzie, Shields, Wilson, Young, McGuire, Glass, Harper (Hamilton 87), Simmons (Owen Morrison 68), Burchill, McManus (Crawford 68), Muirhead.
Subs Not Used: Thomson, Murdoch.
Sent Off: McGuire (47). Booked: Young, Wilson.
Goals: Burchill 18.
Att: 3,383
Ref: D McDonald
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