Sad Exit As Queen's Throw It All Away

not at his best!
By The Spider
February 12 2003

Monday, 10th February, 2003 Hamilton Academical 3 Queen's Park 2 (Scottish Cup - Third Round Replay)

Much of the pre-match conversation amongst those travelling to the Ballast Stadium (or New Douglas Park as Accies fans quite rightly prefer to call it!) was whether this might be Tony Mitchell's last game for the Club. The signings of Mark Cairns and Derek Scrimgour were certainly not made with Strollers appearances in mind, and so there was a pressure on Tony to provide the kind of performance that earned us a win at Peterhead last season, or his remaining tenure at Hampden might not turn out to be as celebrated as he himself would wish for.

Whether it was because he had an off-night, or that he was simply unable to cope with the increased pressure, brought on by his own recent poor performances it has to be added (and exacerbated by the presence of the TV cameras once again too), only Tony will know, but he could have not chosen a worse game in which to perform to the least of his abilities. Indeed, when the sound of the opposition supporters chanting your name is the loudest heard from them all night, it really does signal that things have not exactly been going to plan.

To be fair to Hamilton, they had done their homework well and were clearly intent on capitalising on the single weakness in Tony's game which has seen him lose some crucial goals in recent weeks. Right from the 3rd minute, the home side's intent became obvious when an early cross whipped in from the left saw former Spider Brian McPhee plant a header narrowly wide of Mitchell's right hand post with the Queen's 'keeper a mere spectator.

Undaunted by that threat, Queen's equally knew that Hamilton's defence was not their strong point, and the visitors came even closer to opening the scoring in the 7th minute when John Gemmell saw his shot cleared off the line after Potter had looked unimpressive in spilling a straightforward enough cross from a left wing corner.

Had Gemmell's effort gone in it might have made for a more interesting evening, as Hamilton's fans have not earned a reputation for being particularly patient on the numerous occasions that their side has gone behind at home this season. Nonetheless, the home side took the lead themselves just two minutes later.

Johnny Whelan looked somewhat unambitious in conceding a corner when a little bit more application could have seen the ball diverted for a throw in instead. With a strong wind blowing towards the Queen's goal, it was the perfect opportunity for Hamilton to test Tony's nerve and McDonald swung in a wicked inswinging corner which looked to have been punched into his own net by Mitchell, although Gareth Armstrong claimed that he had got his head to the ball on it's way in. Questions need to be asked about the lack of cover at the near post but, putting that to one side, it was another poor goal to lose from a goalkeeper's perspective, and yet another which has come from a right wing corner.

Questions also need to be posed as to why it is ungentlemanly conduct for someone to stand right on the touchline directly in front of a player taking a long throw in, whilst it is acceptable for a player to stand in front of a goalkeeper at a corner for no other reason than to interfere with the 'keeper's movement towards the ball once the corner has been taken. Whilst Armstrong is quite cute about the way he goes about his spoiling tactics, ensuring that he never raises his hands to make a foul appear obvious, is it not the case that blocking someone if you are not in playing distance of the ball yourself is indeed obstruction and therefore a foul in itself.

Armstrong was given a further opportunity to hit the back of the net in the 13th minute, but he sliced his free kick wide of the target.

Proof that Hamilton's defence is their own Achilles heel came in the 15th minute when Queen's conjured up a quick equaliser. Stephen Canning played an inch perfect pass to Johnny Whelan who saw his placed shot parried back to him by the advancing Potter. Showing good presence of mind, although grounded, Whelan managed to knock the rebound to John Gemmell as Potter tried to gather it, and this time the big striker's shot found it's way past the defender on the line.

McPhee was looking a major threat for Hamilton though and his influence upon grew ever more dangerous as he became the focal point of virtually all their attacks. In the 20th minute he embarked upon a solo run which took him past two defenders and ended with a shot into the side netting. Then he directed a header to Armstrong who brought out a good low save from Mitchell, before the same player shot narrowly wide after his striking partner had again created the opening.

Jimmy Allan finally made his entrance into the action with a mazy run at the heart of the Accies' defence in the 24th minute, and it took a deliberate trip from behind by Dobbins to deny the winger entry into the home penalty area. Referee Dougal correctly administered a yellow card to the defender. Allan's curling left foot free kick missed Potter's left hand post by only a matter of inches.

Then, for the second time in the game, Accies took advantage of a narrow escape to go straight up the park and score themselves. This time it was Brian McPhee's turn to inflict misery upon the away support gathered behind Mitchell's goal as he cleverly re-directed a 26th minute free kick into the top corner of the net, his minimal use of his head disguising the pace of the ball from the excellent cross directed towards him.

Things nearly got even worse for the visitors four minutes later as Graham stole in at the back post to cushion a volley from a left wing cross off the face of Tony Mitchell's crossbar with the Queen's 'keeper yet again a static spectator during the entire move.

A shot from Jimmy Allan in the 42nd minute which Potter saved again raised Queen's hopes, but within seconds Accies were again staring at the whites of Mitchell's eyes as Graham stabbed a low left wing cross from Armstrong inches wide of the target with the Queen's 'keeper again seemingly powerless to intervene. However credit must go to Stephen Canning whose powerful challenge on Armstrong may well have put the Hamilton midfielder off. Less praiseworthy however was Canning's apparent verbal abuse of Tony Mitchell, to be repeated again later during the game. From a team morale perspective, whatever the supposed justification, better to deal with these things in the dressing room afterwards.

Neither manager saw fit to make any personnel changes at the interval, perhaps surprising given that the pitch was heavy and that this was the second game that both teams were playing in two days.

However, with the wind now in their favour, Queen's immediately set about the task of restoring parity and they almost did so right from the kick off with Ross Clarke being particularly unfortunate to see his powerful left foot drive narrowly swerve past the top corner after great lead up play from Danny Ferry, Paddy Gallagher and Jimmy Allan.

Danny Ferry was deservedly booked in the 48th minute for a petulant swipe at Callaghan's legs from behind out on the left touchline, but worse was to follow a minute later; a terrible blunder effectively costing Queen's the match. There seemed little danger when a high ball was hoisted into the six yard box as, although Armstrong was close at hand, the Accies striker again simply stood his ground and made no attempt to foul Tony Mitchell who looked to have gathered the straightforward cross successfully. However, and in identical circumstances to a goal lost to Gretna at Hampden, he allowed the ball to slither from his grasp to allow Gareth Armstrong to blast the ball home from barely two yards out.

Clearly stung by this setback, Queen's looked to get a goal back quickly and efforts from Paddy Gallagher and John Gemmell both narrowly slipped by Potter's right hand post. Then Ross Clarke forced Potter into a good save, before the young midfielder wasted a good opportunity by hooking a free kick wide when a cross would have tested Potter's abilities that bit more strenuously.

To ironic cheers from both sets of fans, Tony Mitchell produced a great low save in the 67th minute to clutch a fierce low drive from Armstrong who was by now quite keen to grab complete his hat trick.

Up to this point, his tolerance of Armstrong's proximity to Tony Mitchell at corners excepted, referee Stuart Dougal had been having a reasonable game, but the official erred badly in the 71st minute when he denied Queen's a clear penalty when John Gemmell was pulled to the ground by Sweeney who had slipped at a vital moment. That Sweeney only used the one hand to drag Gemmell down with him is no excuse for Dougal or his far side assistant to fail to spot the offence, but Queen's quickly created another opportunity only for Ross Clarke to hook wide from a Johnny Whelan lay-off.

John Gemmell was in no mood to let the matter rest though and talked himself into a 74th minute booking for expressing his views more forcefully than the referee was in the mood to tolerate. As often happens in such circumstances, the referee then feels a need to re-impose his authority when there would not otherwise have been a need to do so, and Jimmy Allan's name also entered the little black book three minutes later for a high challenge that was more enthusiastic than aggressive.

With another impressively energetic performance behind him, Ross Clarke limped off in the 78th minute to be replaced by David Menelaws who has yet to make a starting appearance in the first team. However, he won't have done his cause any harm though when he brought his side right back into the game by firing home from close range after a long throw from Johnny Whelan had been deflected nicely into his path by a poor attempt at a headed clearance from Sweeney under pressure from John Gemmell. Great as it was to see the ball hit the back of the net, it was slight worrying that it did so through Potter's legs when David had three yards either side of the keeper to aim at whilst just six yards out.

Still, there was no time to worry about such perfectionism as there was now the distinct possibility that the tie could actually be salvaged in the closing minutes of the game. Indeed, with just three minutes remaining, Stephen Canning found himself in an identical position to Menelaws but with the ball some four feet off the ground. A more experienced player would have re-positioned his body between the nearest defender and the ball to invite a rash challenge whilst waiting for the ball to drop but, with typical impetuousness of youth, the chance was snatched at and Stephen blasted the ball over the bar.

That was that as far as this game was concerned, and more disappointing than the actual exit from the competition itself must have been was the feeling amongst travelling supporters that they had witnessed their side being beaten by an inferior team whom, Armstrong and the extremely impressive McPhee apart, had little to offer. All the best to Accies in the next round as Queen's had no right to progress after surrendering three goals so cheaply, but it will be a major surprise if they do not return from Inverness on the end of a considerable hammering. That is not to say that Queen's would have come close to causing an upset up north, but with the by then eligible Scrimgour in goals, they may well have put up a more stubborn resistance than the frailties of Accies defence suggest seem likely.

This Saturday Queen's travel to Forthbank Stadium still seeking their first win under Kenny Brannigan's charge but, with Mark Cairns and Derek Scrimgour near certainties to occupy the two goalkeeping positions in the squad, that outcome is a genuine possibility.  

ENTERTAINMENT VALUE : 3/5           STAR SPIDER : Richard Sinclair (battled throughout)

QUEEN’S PARK : Tony Mitchell, Danny Ferry, Stephen Canning, Richard Sinclair, Damiano Agostini, Stevie Fallon, Ross Clarke (David Menelaws - 78), Johnny Whelan, John Gemmell, Paddy Gallagher, Jimmy Allan

Subs (not used) : John Stark (GK), Jamie White, Stuart Kettlewell, Chris Fisher

Scorer(s) : Gemmell (15 mins) & Menelaws (81 mins)

Booked : Ferry (tackle from behind - 48), Gemmell (dissent - 74) & Allan (dangerous challenge - 77)

HAMILTON ACADEMICAL  : Graham Potter, Andrew Arbuckle, Paul McDonald, Ian Dobbins, Sean Seeney, Alistair Graham, Martin Bonnar, Johnny Walker (Allan Russell - 73), Gareth Armstrong, Brian McPhee, Stuart Callaghan

Subs (not used) : Ian MacFarlane (GK), Ian McCreadie, Mahdi Elfallah, Ally Graham

Scorer(s) : Armstrong (9 & 49 mins) & McPhee (26 mins)

Booked : Dobbins (trip from behind - 24)

REFEREE :  Stuart Dougal ** (* = inept, ** = poor, *** = mediocre, **** = good, ***** = excellent)