The Academicals put in a solid and largely dominating performance against Handsworth but were made to pay for a host of missed chances and a couple of rare mistakes at either end at pivotal moments in the game.
The home side started strongly, getting in amongst the visitors and letting them know they were in a game. Dan beat his full back and pulled a cross back which looked like it hit the hand of the covering defender in the area and was immediately accused of being a cheating tw*t for appealing. The corner came in and was half cleared but bounced down around the penalty spot with no Accies player on hand to smack it home; an event that would be repeated a few times before the end. Jamie was out-muscling their defenders and also being threatened for his trouble, Matt G and Simon were crunching through tackles in the centre and it only took the supporters about 10 minutes before they were on the pitch pushing Accies players and trying to intimidate the ref.
On 20 minutes the Accies opened the scoring. A long free kick from the halfway line was pinged in by Ryan and Simon nodded it down back the way it came and into the bottom corner of the net. Moments later Swifty was put through but scuffed his left footed shot slightly and the keeper safely gathered. Jamie ran at the away defence who backed off as Swifty, Foz and Dan supported, only to see his shot fly narrowly over the top. Dan played the ball into the feet of Foz who held it and slipped a lovely ball through the defence for Dan to run onto, but he dithered and allowed his marker back at him which ruined the angle and his shot was pushed behind for a corner. The corner was met by Si but headed back off the line and again bounced down on the penalty spot but hacked clear by the defence. Swifty was through again as the Accies really pressed but this time his toe poke was cleared off the line by the covering defender.
The Academicals were made to pay for this profligacy as just before half time the ball was half cleared straight to their attacker who slipped in their dangerous number 10 who made no mistake with a great finish. Handsworth had a couple of corners as the half drew to a close but didn’t threaten the home goal again.
Half time Accies 1 – 1 Handsworth
The Accies continued to dominate in the second half although Handsworth always looked dangerous on the break. Their full backs were pinging clearances behind the Accies defence which was causing problems that were being dealt with in the main without upset. Dan, Fozzy and Jamie exchanged a few nice passes and Jaime slipped in Swifty who’s powerful shot was well saved by the keeper as the Accies continued to look the more likely to add to the scoring. Stan was still wholeheartedly crashing through challenges as was Simon and Matt G in the centre, each challenge being greeted with a chorus of fouls from the side-lines. Handsworth got in behind the defence but the shot was well gathered by Godwin who punted it up field to Swifty; he gambled on the bounce and raced clear with the keeper flying out and blocking it against Swiftys legs and back into his path leaving him to roll it into the empty net and make it 2-1; but every Accies player lost their mortgage as he somehow hit the outside of the post!
This galvanised the away side and they had 5 minutes of pressure and scored the third decisive goal. The full back was given too much time to pick out his cross which was headed back over Godwin and in at the far post. The Accies rallied again and Jamie went through but saw his shot bounce back off the bar, once again straight to a defender to clear. Dan crossed it for Swifty but his header was deflected behind for a corner, same story again with the Accies not getting the rub of the green.
Tim came on for Matt G who had enjoyed a bruising encounter and got involved with Stan up the left flank in the next attack, the eventual cross being nodded behind for another corner. Simon nodded it back into the mix at the far post but yet again it fell to a defender who hacked it clear. The ultimate insult arrived with 5 minutes to go as a speculative long-shot squirmed through Godwins legs to make the game safe for Handsworth and inflict a harsh scoreline on the Academicals. We won't see that again as long as we are playing, or Swifty missing an open goal – shame both happened in such a crucial game!
Final Score Accies 1 - 3 Handsworth
