Dunfermline Athletic 0 Accies 5

Accies have had a few great results this season, in particular the defeat of Kilmarnock in the CIS Cup and away wins at Firhill and Cappielow. However, the performance in this game must rank as their best in the last 20 years. To go to the home ground of Dunfermline, newly relegated from the SPL and pre-season favourites to go back up, and defeat them in this manner was simply astounding. Make no mistake about it, Accies dominated this game from start to finish. So superior were they that even the home fans applauded Richard Offiong's goal and they were also generous in their applause for the player when he was substituted and for the Accies team at the final whistle. I can't remember that ever happening before.

On paper, this was a strong Pars side, featuring many players with experience of playing at a higher level and even at International level. However, they came up against a well organised, energetic and talented Accies team that took the game to them from the very start. The great news for Accies was that skipper Alex Neil was able to return to the heart of the side after missing several games. Stuart Taylor wasn't fit enough to play. Accies raced into the lead after just 4 minutes with a well taken goal by James McArthur. He dispossessed Sol Bamba about 35 yards out and then simply ran at the retreating Pars defence. Nobody tackled James as he ran into the area and then curled the ball out of Paul Gallacher's reach into the corner of the net. It was a superb goal and, on any other day, it would have been the highlight of the game.

Things got even better for Accies after 17 minutes when Sol Bamba was short with a headed pass back to his goalkeeper. The ever alert James McCarthy was on the ball in a flash and the 16 year old midfielder rounded Gallacher before tapping the ball into the empty net. The goal was thoroughly enjoyed by the small Accies support but some of the home fans voiced their disapproval with some booing.

Unbelievably, Accies then made it 3-0 on the half hour with a magnificent goal by top scorer Richard Offiong. He got the ball about 30 yards out and flicked it over the head of an advancing defender before lashing a dipping volley past the helpless Gallacher. As the Accies fans went berserk, there was some very sporting applause from the Dunfermline fans. Some of them, however, decided that they had seen enough and left at that point. Accies had scored three goals by half time and they completely deserved their lead. They simply gave Dunfermline no peace in midfield and some of the passing and movement was a joy to watch. They were untroubled at the back too, with all of the defence playing really well and Bryn Halliwell a virtual spectator.

There was one yellow card shown in the first half, with Scott Wilson being cautioned after he brought Richard Offiong down just outside the area. The offence fell short of being a red card offence, but it did deny Offiong a great chance to score.

There must have been some hope amongst the Dunfermline fans that their team would turn things around after the break and give Accies a game. Stephen Kenny made a double change at the break with Jim Hamilton and Nicky Phinn being replaced by Darren Young and Owen Morrison. However, any hopes of a Pars revival were crushed after just 13 seconds of the second period when David Winters dispossessed Sol Bamba before lifting the ball over Paul Gallacher to make it 4-0. This was the cue for a mass exodus of Pars fans and one fan, emerging from within the Norrie McCathie stand with his pie, saw that Accies were celebrating again and turned on his heels to make his exit.

Accies nearly grabbed a 5th goal shortly afterwards when Gallacher made an excellent save from Richard Offiong. However, the final goal was only delayed by a few minutes. This time it was an excellent goal that was created when Mark McLaughlin broke upfield and fed the ball out to Richard Offiong on the left wing. Richard unselfishly squared the ball to David Winters and David beat Gallacher with ease from 10 yards.

That ended the scoring in the game and Accies certainly seemed to take their foot off the gas after the 5th goal. Billy Reid made a double change just after the hour with David Elebert and Richard Offiong making way for Chris Swailes and Brian Wake. Sportingly, the players were applauded from the park by some of the home fans. There was a smattering of ironic applause from the Accies fans after 68 minutes when the home side finally forced a save out of Bryn Halliwell. Accies were content to give Dunfermline possession of the ball but the Pars were unable to make any impact on the impeccable Accies defence. Tony Stevenson came on in place of the impressive James McCarthy for the final 20 minutes and did well.

The game petered out after this and both sides knew that the match was over as a contest much earlier. Alex Neil and Tom Parratt were both injured in the same move and although Alex was able to return after treatment, Tom had to be carried off and around the track. It transpires that Tom had broken a metatarsal bone in his left foot and will be missing for quite some time. At the final whistle, there were great scenes as the Accies fans and players applauded each other. Some of the home fans joined in too as the Accies players left the park.

After the game, an ecstatic Billy Reid paid tribute to his team and agreed that it was his best result as a manager. He said, " I thought it was exceptional. Right from the first minute we got the ball down and passed it, we pressed them all over the park. I know we've got good players but what showed today is how hard we work as a team and I think that's what got us the victory. I thought Richard Offiong up front was almost unplayable at times - he was sensational and his goal was fantastic. We've kept another clean sheet, which is testimony to how hard they work at the back as well. It's all credit to the players, I can only put them on the park but they're great to work with.

"They work really really hard for me. They're young and learning their trade and I think the Dunfermline supporters showed their appreciation of how well we played and that tells you everything. At times our play in the middle of the park was great with the two young boys McCarthy and McArthur and when we break forward we do so with place. All in all, I'm ecstatic with the performance, but it's just the end of the first quarter and we're not going to get carried away. Both Dundee and St Johnstone won today so there's big clubs that want to overtake us. But we've got belief in what we're trying to do at the club. We're trying to build a football club by bringing our own players through and I think that spirit showed today. We'll enjoy the moment but we've got a game against Morton next week and that's all I'm concentrating on.

"When we decided to go with the Brazil strip we said that could come back to haunt us but we were Hamilton Accies out there. At times I thought our play was great. I am ecstatic with the performance. It comes up on you week in week out that the park gives us an unfair advantage but whether on that surface or on that park out there you have to get the ball down, play and pass it. I think we showed today that we can do that."

Dunfermline: Gallacher, Woods, Bamba, Wilson, Muirhead, McManus, Phinn, Crawford (Ryan 81), Glass, Hamilton, Burchill. Subs Not Used: Murdoch, Young, Owen Morrison, Harris.

Booked: Wilson.

Hamilton: Halliwell, Parratt, Easton, McCarthy (Stevenson 67), Elebert (Swailes 62), McLaughlin, Winters, McArthur, Offiong (Wake 62), Neil, Gilhaney. Subs Not Used: Cerny, McLeod.

Booked: McArthur.

Goals: McArthur 4, McCarthy 18, Offiong 30, Winters 46, 53.

Att: 3,846

Ref: S Conroy

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