Match Report

MATCH REPORT

Hamilton Academical v Stenhousemuir at the Superseal Stadium [New Douglas Park], Hamilton on 29.7.17

Betfred League Cup Section G                       Att 657

Hamilton Academical 3 [Crawford, 14 Templeton 55, Boyd 74] Stenhousemuir 0

Hamilton Academical – Woods, Skondras, McMann, Tomas, Gillespie [Docherty 70], Imrie [Longridge 51], Bingham, Redmond, Crawford, Templeton [Boyd 60] and MacKinnon. Subs not used – Donati, Lyon, Want and Jamieson

Stenhousemuir – Smith, Meechan, M.Dunlop, R.Dunlop, Marsh, Ferry, McGuigan [McMenamin 80], Paton, Longworth [Ferns 67], Halleran [Gilmour 59] and  Donaldson. Subs not used – Sinclair , Gracie and McMinn.

Referee – Steven McLean      Assistants – Graham Stewart and Drew Kirkland

The Warriors completed their Betfred Cup campaign with a trip to Premiership side Hamilton Academal. It was Stenhousemuir’s first tip to Hamilton for a while but it wont live long in the memory of those that were there.

The home side did enough to secure victory and whilst Stenhousemuir tried hard to get something out of the game they struggled to put in the type of performance that would have enabled them to pick up the points that would have taken them off the bottom of the section.

Stenhousemuir started relatively well but failed to trouble Gary Woods in the Hamilton goal. At the other end of the field Hamilton weren’t opening up the Stenhousemuir rearguard either so there was little action in the opening stages. However, the Accies took the lead in the 14^th minute when Ali Crawford converted a free-kick though Chris Smith will have been disappointed to see it go into the net.

Mark McGuigan fired an effort just over in the 24^th minute and at the other end good feet by Rakish Bingham created a chance for himself but his effort went just wide. The home side should have doubled their lead in  the 36^th minute but Smith denied Danny Redmond with a save at point blank range.  The closest that Stenhousemuir came to an equaliser was through a Harry Paton free-kick that was just intercepted by Scott McMann just as Michael Dunlop was about to pounce.

The second half started with a powerful long range effort by Mark Ferry that went just over the bar. In the 55^th minute though, the home side extended their lead. The Warriors gave the ball away cheaply and David Templeton made sure his old club paid the price as he created an opening for himself before passing the ball into the net.

The Academical were now easing to victory and Redmond with a shot with the outside of the foot was saved in the 63^rd minute then Steven Boyd fired over from 14 yards but should have done better. The Warriors were playing in patches and could not sustain attacks but in their best move for a while Ross Dunlop hit wide from a Ruaridh Donaldson cross. Two minutes later though Hamilton scored their third when Boyd timed his run well to meet a Redmond cross behind the away defence and with Smith advancing headed the ball into the net.

That was the final goal of the game though Ross Docherty almost got on the score sheet after being picked out by McMann but shot wide in the 86^th minute.

This result meant that Hamilton who needed the win qualified as section leaders with 9 points. Albion Rovers came second with 7 ahead of Queen of the South also on 7 points. East Kilbride were fourth with 5 points and Stenhousemuir bottom with 2 points.

Stenhousemuir will be hoping for a change of fortunes when the league campaign starts.