[Report by D Kavanagh]
The Accies won a tough fixture away from home and showed good resolve to come from behind twice to secure a vital win.
On a difficult pitch Sheffield had the better of the early exchanges. Jamie played a good one-two with Bully, who was holding the ball up really well, the former striking a low drive which the keeper parried. Reedy had a good header from a corner drop just wide of the far post. Neither team was really holding the ball as the pitch was slowing everything down and getting a bit sticky due to the length of the grass.
On 15 minutes though Tibshelf had a stroke of luck as a hopeful cross into the box hit Tony on the arm and the ref flagged for a penalty. Perhaps a little harsh as clearly accidental and the advantage remained with the opposition. The penalty was well dispatched by the Tibshelf number 11 who looked their only real player after the opening exchanges.
The lead only lasted ten minutes however as Jamie tried to free Dan Kav on the left but the ball deflected into the path of Swifty who ran on, held off his man and swept the ball into the far corner with his left foot. 1-1 and no less than the Accies deserved.
A period of concentrated pressure from the Accies followed. Dan Kav was having a bit of joy down the left, he cut inside his man and curled a shot that looked destined for the top corner but drifted just over the bar. Hodgy was working his full back well and winning plenty of corners and throws. But the pressure didn’t tell and Sheffield were hit by a classic counter attack ten minutes before half time. Their left winger looked like he was going nowhere with several Accies defenders around him but squeezed a cross in which fell to the onrushing right winger who volleyed it into the roof of the net.
Half time 1-2.
The Accies didn’t show the pressure and it always felt like we could score. Tibshelf hadn’t created chances to speak of and this continued to be the case in the second half. The defence were dealing with the forwards really well to a man and Godders hadn’t had a save to make; only a few clearances which he dealt with well. It was the Accies that continued to ask questions. Swifty ran through and drew the keeper into another save, Jamie had a long distance effort with the keeper off his line that he couldn’t quite dig out of his feet. The pitch was still problematic and very heavy, particularly out wide.
Steve McCulloch came on for Bully who had enjoyed a solid game out of his usual position up front. Within a few minutes Hodgy put a good ball into the box which Reedy and Swifty both challenged the keeper for. It dropped down and bobbled about a bit taking a few touches off everyone before Swifty cleverly back healed it into the net to make it 2-2.
Tibshelf tried to press again but everything was being mopped up by Bondy and Ryan through the middle and Stan and Tony out wide. Trev came on to replace Tony and helped Hodgy continue to press forward. Stan was getting a lot of the ball in this half which worked well for the Accies as nobody could really see him on either team staring into the low sun and allowing him time to advance with the ball every time!
With a few minutes to go Jamie released Steve with a fine ball and he did superbly to take it round the keeper after having a long way to carry it forward, but their defender just got back to clear his goal-bound effort off the line for a corner. This proved to be a decisive moment as Dan Kav picked out Jamie in the box who held his man off with good strength and rose to nod in a fierce header to claim what turned out to be the winner.
A great result for the Accies who should take real heart from the performance and a great way to prepare them for a big game next time out at Keelover.
