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HAMILTON 1 : 1 QUEEN OF THE SOUTH

30th September 2006

Corr Rating: 6.76

Scally Rating: 7.35

S2 J Thomson Rating: 5.88

Lauchlan Rating: 6.12

McCaffrey Rating: 6.53

Burns Rating: 6.88

S1 Henry Rating: 5.94

1 O'Neill Rating: 7.00

Mackenzie Rating: 6.71

Gibson Rating: 7.25

S3 Barrowman Rating: 7.47

SUBSTITUTES
S1 - 60 Callaghan Rating: 5.65	S2 - 74 Mullen Rating: 4.82	S3 - 83 Moon	Robertson	Scott

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Members of the Internet Fan Club can award players marks out of ten for their performance today. The player with the most points awarded in the two days following a match will be the IFC Man of the Match. All of the points will then be added to a running total for each player and the results published in the mom League Table.

Name or IFC No.

MATCH SUMMARY

Probably if you'd offered us a point this morning we might have taken it and thought it a good result in the scheme of things. In the circumstances, playing against ten men for almost half an hour and with Airdrie gaining a shock win at Gretna, it turns out to be a disappointing result and one that could, and probably should, have been better. Ian McCall made three changes to the side that lost to Clyde last weekend with Jim Thomson, John Henry and Willie Gibson coming in for Murray Henderson, Scott Robertson and Sean O'Connor. O'Connor and Andy Thomson dropped right out of the squad (along with the injured Henderson) and that left room for Moon and Mullen to take spaces there. The formation was 4-5-1 with Scally a surprise choice a right back and Barrowman ploughing a lone furrow up front initially. Hamilton were without the likes of Mark McLaughlin, Alex Neil, Dave McEwan and Marvin Wilson. Queens made a bright enough start but the first clear opening arrived in nine minutes when former Newcastle United reserve Richard Offiong broke through a couple of challenges and burst into the box. Barry John Corr was quick from his line though and blocked at the striker's feet with the rebound being lifted high and wide by Gilhaney. Three minutes later came a wonderful opportunity for new loan striker Andrew Barrowman. David Elebert was woefully short with a back header and Barrowman easily beat Jellema to the ball, lifting it high over his head. Unfortunately his lob landed about two yards from the goal-line and bounced right back up over the crossbar. A few minutes later Burns caught Brian Easton in possession and was almost through on goal but took a bad touch and was eased off the ball by the defender.

Dessie's defensive header

Having made a decent start then it was disappointing that yet again Queens were the architects of their own downfall in 25 minutes. We won a free kick on halfway but yet again tried to take it quickly to no great point. Willie Gibson lost possession but O'Neill did win it back and feed Scott McKenzie. He though over-ran the ball on the edge of Accies box and two passes later Scott Agnew had released Richard Offiong behind the Queens back line and the big striker made no mistake, coolly placing the ball into the back of the net via the left post. The Keystone Cops defending continued two minutes later with Lauchlan playing Jim Thomson into trouble and JT losing possession trying to beat Offiong rather than sticking the ball into the stand. Offiong bore down on goal, drawing both Lauchlan and Thomson to him before squaring to Agnew. BJ Corr rushed from goal to meet him but bizarrely went with his feet first, although he did do enough to force Agnew wide. He then stood the ball up into the box where Offiong arrived to head from point blank range only for Lauchlan to make an incredible block on the line. Neil Scally then cleared the ball out for a throw before it could be turned home. Two minutes later Tunbridge headed a good chance over as Accies continued to dominate.

Gibson and O'Neill line up a free kick

Gradually though Queens played themselves back into the game. On 35 minutes McCaffrey's decent cross was fumbled by Jellema under pressure from Barrowman and smuggled out for a corner. From the resulting kick which was far too deep Willie Gibson played the ball back in and Scally headed down for O'Neill to strike a flying volley narrowly wide of target. Jim Lauchlan picked up the game's first booking for a quite cynical trip on Offiong who was past him just inside our half four minutes before the interval but on the stroke of half time Queens found themselves level. Willie Gibson somehow found possession on the edge of the Hamilton box and hit a perfect chip for the top right corner of goal. Jellema couldn't quite reach it with his first hand but swung his other one over to make a spectacular tip wide. The danger was averted only temporarily though as the corner was played deep and then Gibson's cross back in was fell perfectly for John O'Neill to bullet a header home.

Jonjo finishes clinically

Queens started the second period in determined fashion with O'Neill heading on for Barrowman who rather snatched at his chance and hammered the ball well over the bar. A few minutes later Willie Gibson hit a shot over the bar too. On 52 minutes David Elebert joined Lauchlan in the book after Willie Gibson nicked the ball away from him as he dwelled on it too long and got tripped up for his troubles. From McCaffrey's resulting free kick Gibson tried a spectacular volley from wide and failed to get enough pace in it though he did at least hit target. On 54 minutes Hamilton made a double change, removing Scott Agnew and David Winters and replacing them with Paul McLeod and the 15 year old James McCarthy! Three minutes later a rare Accies second half attack saw Tunbridge slide in on a Gilhaney cross to narrowly miss target. On 59 minutes McCall made his first positive change bringing on Barry Callaghan for John Henry, with Burns moving into the middle as a result.

There was just no way through today

On 61 minutes came a huge break for Queens when Paul Burns nicked the ball away from Brian Easton and headed towards goal, only to be pulled back by the young defender. Referee Stephen Finnie had no doubts and despite a couple of covering defenders possibly being in touch with the situation he flashed a red card at Easton. From the resulting free kick Dessie McCaffrey struck the crossbar with Jellema beaten. Scott McKenzie nodded the rebound at goal but Jellema recovered position to grab the ball. Two minutes later Callaghan's low cross was cleared away from the goal-line. On a rare foray forward Offiong clipped a shot just over the bar but straight back up the other end Barrowman cut inside and forced another decent save out of Jellema. With 20 minutes remaining Brian Wake replaced Offiong and four minutes later Mullen came on for Thomson which meant McKenzie dropping into the back line as McCall gambled on a more attacking line up. In the 77th minute came the golden chance to win the game as O'Neill and McCaffrey exchanged passes on the edge of the penalty box before the former burst through on goal. He placed his shot beyond the reach of Jellema but again the woodwork came to Accies rescue as the ball deflected back out off the base of the right post. A minute later though Wake might have snatched the win for the home side but hit early over the bar from 12 yards out. James McArthur then picked up a booking for a foul on Willie Gibson. McCall completed the changes on 83 minutes when Warren Moon replaced Barrowman but very little of further note happened. So in the end not the worst of draws but we should have won it, playing ten men for half an hour and hitting woodwork twice. With Airdrie winning surprisingly we've actually lost ground and the Thistle game at Palmerston in a fortnight becomes crucial. Ewan Lithgow Photo's - David Gow