Accies got their season off to a flying start with a well deserved victory against highly rated Dundee United at New Douglas Park on Monday. James McArthur grabbed the all important second goal in a terrific display for the hoops.
Hamilton Accies 3 Dundee United 1
New Douglas Park, Hamilton
Monday, 11th August 2008
Clydesdale Bank Scottish Premier League
In the three months since Accies gained promotion to the SPL, there have been countless interviews with the management and players in the press, almost all of them full of praise for what has been achieved at New Douglas Park. Many have predicted that the club would be out of their depth in the top flight but in this game they proved that their elevation to Scotland's highest level of football was no fluke. Make no mistake about it, this was a marvellous performance by Accies and they thoroughly merited the three points. The fact that it leaves them looking down on the rest of the SPL is obviously a tremendous achievement, although the fact that there are still 111 points to be played for takes the shine off it just a little!
Billy Reid played close to what would be his strongest team, with the replacement of the not quite ready David Elebert with the veteran Chris Swailes being the only real surprise. Accies had new signings Sebastian Sorsa, Derek Lyle, Lucas Akins, Mark Corcoran and Sean Murdoch on the bench alongside Elebert and coach Stuart Taylor. the squad is beginning to look pretty impressive and there was news after the game that Accies have also signed 21 year old French striker Joel thomas from Kaiserslautern.
Accies settled down pretty quickly after the flag unfurling and the pre-match tension didn't last long. David Graham came close early on with a powerful left foot shot that visiting 'keeper Zaluska did well to tip around the post. Accies kept pressing however and they had a series of excellent corner kicks from Tony Stevenson that gave the visiting defence a severe test. So it was against the run of play that United took the lead after 23 minutes, when Mark McLaughlin dived to head a curling cross from Willo Flood past Tomas Cerny. It was cruel luck on Mark, who has been a fantastic player for Accies since arriving from Clyde four seasons ago. Accies didn't let the loss of this cheap goal deter them and they scored a well deserved equaliser just 6 minutes later, when Tony Stevenson deceived Zaluska with a free kick from 22 yards out. The Accies fans in the stadium went berserk. Accies took the lead ten minutes later, with James McArthur knocking the ball into the net from close range after Mark McLaughlin had beaten Zaluska with a header from another Tony Stevenson free kick.
The visitors made a change at the break, with Bauben being replaced by former Accies target Danny Swanson. It didn't alter the pattern of the game though, with Accies playing very well and the players coping very well with the step up in class. The game was effectively ended as a contest after 63 minutes, when a neat pass from midfield was mis-controlled by Richard Offiong just inside the area. When Richard stumbled, the United defence seemed to freeze, giving David Graham the opportunity to thump the ball low into the corner to make it 3-1.
Although that ended the scoring, there was still plenty to enjoy in the game. Accies carved out a couple of decent chances but were thwarted by last ditch blocks by the United defence. As United upped the pressure, Tomas Cerny made no fewer than four excellent saves to deny them. Billy Reid gave Lucas Akins and Mark Corcoran the last 20 minutes in place of the excellent Richard Offiong and David Graham and they proved to be a real handful. Derek Lyle made his debut near the end as James McCarthy left to a standing ovation.
This was a brilliant season opener for Accies and it will have opened up a few eyes elsewhere within the league. There's a long way to go, but at least we won't be worrying about where the first points will come from, as has happened before.
Congratulations to everyone at Accies!
Hamilton Accies: Cerny, Stevenson, Easton, McLaughlin, Swailes, Mensing, McArthur, McCarthy (Lyle 90), Neil, Graham (Corcoran 67), Offiong (Akins 67). Subs Not Used: Murdoch, Elebert, Sorsa, Taylor.
Booked: McLaughlin, Graham.
Goals: Stevenson 29, McArthur 39, Graham 63.
Dundee Utd: Zaluska, Dillon, Grainger, Wilkie, Dods, Flood, Feeney, Scott Robertson, O'Donovan (Sandaza 68), Gomis, Buaben (Swanson 46). Subs Not Used: McGovern, Daly, Kenneth, Kovacevic, McCord.
Booked: Buaben, Grainger, Flood, Swanson.
Goal: McLaughlin 23 og.
Att: 4,385
Ref: Stuart Dougal
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