Kilmarnock 0 Hamilton 1: Dominant Accies spear Kilmarnock

Published on Sunday 25 January 2009 22:11

BURNS' words: "Pleasures are like poppies spread – you seize the flower, its bloom is dead" certainly had meaning for Kilmarnock on this 250th anniversary of the Bard's birth.

The Rugby Park side, on Cloud Nine after Thursday night's Ayrshire derby victory in the Homecoming Scottish Cup, were cast into the depths of despair after this reverse, their fifth straight home defeat in the SPL. They were perhaps still suffering a cup hangover, which Accies took full advantage of to dominate this match and win more comprehensively than the single-goal margin might indicate.

The visitors were first to threaten, with Richard Offiong shooting over in nine minutes, and as Killie struggled to impose themselves, the traffic continued to be mainly in the direction of Alan Combe's goal. Mark McLaughlin came up from the back for Accies, to bring a save out of Combe in 28 minutes, with Craig Bryson forcing a Paul McGowan effort away from the goal a minute later.

Accies' best chance of the first half, however, fell to James McCarthy in 33 minutes. The visitors broke at pace through Offiong and McCarthy; Combe brilliantly parried Offiong's drive and the loose ball fell to McCarthy, but the teenager's shot came back off the post and was booted clear. McCarthy had another chance three minutes later when Brian Easton sent him clear, but a poor first touch let him down.

Hamilton remained on top after the interval and when McGowan floated in the first corner of the half, up went the heads. The first impression was to credit Richard Offiong with the consequent goal, but even he gave the credit for the score to Simon Mensing. He will, however, have to wait until referee Thomson views the match video before his goal is officially credited to him. At the moment, officially it's Offiong's goal, but referee Thomson has confirmed he will change it if the TV evidence justifies it.

"It was my goal," said Mensing later. "Certainly Richard got his head to it, and I feel it was going in. I tried to get out of the way, but it hit my leg, so I'm having it."

There was no sign of a Kilmarnock fightback as the visitors continued to dominate. Combe brilliantly blocked McGowan's fierce volley from an Offiong knock-down in 52 minutes and indeed, 68 minutes had passed before Killie manufactured a chance, Willie Gibson setting up Danny Invincible, who shot wide.

But this was an isolated moment of anxiety for Accies and a minute later, at the other end, McGowan shot across the goal and wide. Joel Thomas came on for Offiong for the final 12 minutes and managed to squander two good chances as Accies continued to threaten at every opportunity, without being able to add to that solitary goal.

Indeed, it sums-up Killie's ineptitude that Accies keeper Tomas Cerny's worst moment came in the last minute, when he slipped but still held the ball after Martin Canning let it run through to him. "It was a really bad day at the office", said Kilmarnock manager Jim Jefferies.

"Maybe Thursday took more out of us than we had imagined, but we were heavy-legged and lethargic. Against Hearts and Aberdeen I felt we didn't get the result we deserved, but today we simply weren't good enough and the fact sub Gavin Skelton was voted our man of the match for just 20 minutes on the park speaks volumes. But full credit to Hamilton for the win."

Victory took Hamilton level on points with Kilmarnock, whom they now trail only on goal difference, an outcome which left manager Billy Reid thrilled.

"I'm delighted with the three points, but also the clean sheet," he said. "We passed well and might have had the lead at the break, but I told the boys to be patient and the goal would come.

"We're playing well in units and as a team overall; I felt James McArthur was immense today, while we got a captain's performance from Alex Neil. I thought we were always comfortable.

"We're not looking either up or down, simply taking it one game at a time, but I was delighted with this result."