Accies suffered their heaviest defeat of the season when they went down 4-1 at Falkirk. The absence of skipper Alex Neil through injury proved to be crucial and the contribution of a few defensive lapses did not help.
Falkirk 4 Hamilton Accies 1
Clydesdale Bank SPL
The Falkirk Stadium, Westfield, Falkirk
Saturday, 27th September 2008
Accies went into this game celebrating the fact that skipper Alex Neil had just signed a new 2 year contract. The bad news for Billy Reid was that his most influential player failed a late fitness test - a fact that was to have a major impact on this game.
The fact that this game turned out to be what appeared to be a rout by Falkirk will have been a major surprise to anyone who watched the first half. Accies quickly settled into their familiar passing game and they clearly dominated the first 44 minutes of the match. The "James Gang" of Messrs McCarthy and McArthur wasted little time in seizing control of the midfield and they were ably assisted by David Graham and Simon Mensing with the defence coping easily with the occasional attack by the home team. The downside was that any attacks that were created didn't really threaten the Falkirk goal. The best attempt for Accies in the first half came when Joel Thomas got his head to a superb corner kick from Tony Stevenson, but 'keeper Olejnik touched it over the top. The home side had been more dangerous on lower amounts of possession, with their best effort coming when Tomas Cerny fumbled a free kick and an Accies defender had to clear from his own goal-line.
Falkirk were a bit fortunate in the 26th minute, when James McCarthy cut inside defender Darren Barr on the edge of the Falkirk penalty area. The Falkirk man pulled James down right on the line but rather than award a penalty kick and caution the Falkirk man, referee Mike Tumilty awarded a free kick several yards further out. That was to prove to be fruitless, but overall Accies were doing well and things were going reasonably according to plan. Barr thwarted James again a minute or two later with a well timed tackle inside the area.
So it was a bit unexpected when the home side took the lead just before the break. It came from the midfield, where James McArthur was, for once, dispossessed. The ball was knocked out to the right wing and expertly delivered to the back post where Steve Lovell did the necessary from close range. This was rough luck for Accies and another lesson learned about life in the SPL.
Billy Reid made a positional switch at half time, with Tony Stevenson taking over at right back and Simon Mensing moving into midfield. Accies nearly got back into the game shortly after the interval, when James McCarthy sent McArthur through with a fantastic pass. James's low shot from the edge of the area was easily saved by Olejnik. Falkirk were beginning to come more into the game and this prompted Billy Reid to make an ambitious double change, with Richard Offiong and Steven Ettien taking over up front from Joel Tomas and Derek Lyle. Frenchman Ettien nearly made an impact just a couple of minutes later when his fine header from a cross from the right was touched onto the post by Olejnik. That was to be as good as it got for Accies.
James McCarthy was having his usual energetic game in midfield and he fell foul of referee Mike Tumilty when he was yellow carded for a clumsy challenge on a Falkirk man. This was to be the only card shown all day, a marked contrast to the cup tie at Fir Park. Accies were well in the game at this stage but that was to change in the 69th minute when Scott Arfield strolled through the Accies defence before shooting low past Tomas Cerny. This followed a misplaced pass in the midfield from Accies, but there 's no doubting the quality of the goal by Arfield. Things got even worse for Accies just a cople of minutes later when Tomas Cerny made a hash of a clearance. The ball broke to Burton O'Brien a long way out and he advanced before lashing a magnificent left foot shot past Tomas.
Billy Reid then made his final change of the game, with Australian defender Trent McClenahan coming on for Tony Stevenson. Accies created a half chance with Richard Offiong running onto a pass from James McCarthy. He beat Olejnik to the ball but his momentum carried him too far forwards and he was virtually on the goal-line before he could get his foot to the ball. Naturally, it went high and wide of goal but then it's hard to score from the goal-line when sprinting. Darren Barr had a nasty collision with the goalpost as he got back to defend but he was able to continue.
The home side had the game by the scruff of the neck by now and they twice came close to extending their advantage. First of all Steve Lovell shot wide when he only had Tomas Cerny to beat and then Michael Higdon's shot was beaten away by the Accies 'keeper. It was no real surprise that they eventually did get the 4th goal, but it was unfortunate that it arrived from a very soft penalty award given for a foul by David Graham on Falkirk substitute Gerard Aafjes. Scott Arfield fired the ball low past Cerny for his second goal of the game.
Accies still managed the occasional attack despite the fact that the game was over as a contest. Trent McClenahan got himself into a good position just inside the area and, with few options open to him in the middle, fired the ball goalwards. It caught out Olejnik and the Falkirk 'keeper could only deflect it into the net. The goal was met by stunned silence from the fans, who were either happy that Falkirk were about to win or past caring. That was the last significant moment of the game.
After the match, Billy Reid agreed that the twin factors of the absence of Alex Neil and the team's midweek exertions had had a bearing on the outcome of the match. Unfortunately, his players will have to avoid making basic defensive errors if they're to convert their neat passing play into points. Accies were not terrible in this game, they just threw it away and Falkirk were good enough to capitalise.
Falkirk: Olejnik, McNamara (Aafjes 74), Scobbie, Bullen, Barr, McBride (Cregg 70), O'Brien, Arfield, Lovell, Barrett (Lynch 75), Higdon.
Subs Not Used: Flinders, John Stewart, Mark Stewart, McCaffrey.
Goals: Lovell 44, Arfield 69, O'Brien 72, Arfield 87 pen.
Hamilton: Cerny, Stevenson (McClenahan 74), Easton, Canning, Elebert, McArthur, McCarthy, Graham, Mensing, Thomas (Offiong 55), Lyle (Ettien 55).
Subs Not Used: Murdoch, Akins, Swailes, Sorsa.
Booked: McCarthy
Goals: Olejnik 90 og.
Att: 4,734
Ref: M Tumilty
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