Hamilton 2-1 Dundee Utd: Accies have Swailes of a time in Cup

Published on Saturday 7 February 2009 18:57

Hamilton Academical 2 (Swailes 47, 55) Dundee United 1 (Grainger 33)

That's six wins on the trot for Hamilton but more importantly they are in the quarter-finals, for only the second time in 42 years.

"To go a goal behind against a team like Dundee United and come back and win was excellent," said Hamilton manager Billy Reid. "It's a good run for us at the moment. We're not going to get carried away and we're happy to be in the next round of the cup."

Rocco Quinn and Kenny Deuchar received their first starts for Hamilton, who were missing James McArthur through suspension.

James McCarthy was an early menace with a shot deflected wide and another flying over the crossbar.

United got a scare with a goalmouth scramble that ended with teenager James Gibson's poked effort cleared for a corner. Quinn set off on a twisting run and his curled attempt wasn't far away. Cerny struggled with a Craig Conway free-kick but despite the goalie's flapping Hamilton went unpunished.

Prince Buaben dithered on the edge of the home box until McCarthy tripped him up. It was a costly foul. Danny Grainger beat the wall by arrowing a low drive into the far corner of the net.

Hamilton fought back and Lukas Zaluska punched clear a Quinn free-kick. United had a couple of threatening breakaways before the break but it was a single-goal lead they took to the dressing room.

Within a couple of minutes of the re-start Hamilton were level.

McCarthy provided the spark with a piece of brilliance. Out by the corner flag he flicked the ball past Sean Dillon and scampered into the United box. The youngster picked out Swailes with the cutback and the defender transformed into a striker placed a brilliant shot high into the net.

Unbelievably Swailes then put Hamilton in front. Brian Easton swung in a fine corner and there was man-of-the-moment Swailes at the back post to head home. What a day this was turning out to be for Swailes and what a turnaround for Hamilton.

Their substitute Richard Offiong could have sent them further ahead but Zaluska blocked the threat. Then the United keeper was denying Easton as Reid's energised team heaped pressure on the stunned visitors.

With his side trailing, Levein sent on Francisco Sandaza and Danny Swanson. They had quarter-of-an-hour to help keep United in the cup.

The chasing team got in a tangle over the taking of a simple free-kick. The signs weren't good for the Premier League's third-placed club.

Then Wilkie was denied by Cerny who blocked a close-range header with a leg. "The goalie's gone the wrong way but it's hit his heel and stayed out," said Craig Levein. "These things can decide matches."

Towards the end, the ball was mostly in Hamilton territory but the men in red and white got behind it and did the job of keeping United at bay.

The home fans sang the praises of their favourite McCarthy as United won a last-ditch corner kick. Conway took it and, of all people, Zaluska got the header but Hamilton cleared their lines and the final-whistle sounded.

Levein shook hands with Reid and patted his counterpart on the back. No hard feelings then, but great emotions for Accies who reached the last eight. The United manager dismissed the notion Hamilton are his bogey team.

"We've been a little unlucky. Today was a hard match. We played well first-half and should have got a second goal. I'm not too disappointed with the way we played."