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Aberdeen 4 Hamilton 0

14/08/2010 19:47:32 by SPLBanter filed in Match Reports.

Aberdeen  4  Hamilton  0  

A rarely seen hat-trick of penalties by new skipper Paul Hartley on his SPL debut for the club, and a bundled effort from Zander Diamond were more than enough for a rampant Aberdeen to see off visitors Hamilton on the opening day of the season.  

Sone Aluko who looked refreshed and back to his very best was a thorn in Hamilton’s side from the get go and it was the Nigerian’s trickery that won both first half penalties which Hartley converted with aplomb.  

The first was awarded on 18 minutes when Aluko was hauled down by Simon Mensing, the second shortly before half-time when he was too good for Jack Ross forcing the full back to halt his progress with an illegal tug on the jersey.  

On both occasions referee Dougie McDonald was absolutely correct.  

Aberdeen continued the second period where they left off and were 3-0 up within six minutes of the restart when Diamond fired home a Hartley corner after a goalmouth scramble.  

Aberdeen and Hartley weren’t quite finished yet though and the former Hearts and Celtic midfielder was given the chance complete his unusual treble when Jack Ross for the second time conceded a spot kick, this time for a trip on Maguire.  

Hartley duly converted before being subbed alongside the equally impressive Aluko to a standing ovation.  

Dons gaffer Mark McGhee was delighted with his skipper’s contribution saying: said: "Paul's performance and leadership out there was invaluable.  

"Having the luck to get three penalties and a hat-trick on his debut is the stuff that legends are made of. It was brilliant for us all to be part of that today.''  

Accies boss Billy Reid had no problem with the penalties and was philosophical in defeat.

He said: "I thought the first two were stonewall penalties, the third one I would need to see again. I have no complaints at all and I thought the referee handled the situation well.

"It is a strange game as you can sometimes only concede a couple of penalties in a season, so to concede three in one game is quite incredible.  

"All credit to Paul Hartley for scoring all three but you can't expect to defend like that and win the game. It was strange because I thought we played decent football at times and were the better team for the first 15 minutes but it was Aberdeen's day. Days like this happen in football and you just have to take your medicine.''    

Aberdeen: Howard, McArdle, Diamond, Ifil, Considine, Pawlett, Folly, Hartley (Young 67), Aluko (Mackie 67), Pawlett (Fyvie 54), Maguire, Magennis

Hamilton: Cerny, Ross, Mensing, Canning, Skelton, Imrie, McDonald (Routledge 67), Buchanan  (Kirkpatrick 55), Wilkie (Thomas 41), Flavio Paixao, Marco Paixao. Subs: Murdoch, Graham, McAlister, Thomas, Kirkpatrick, Routledge, Gillespie.

Goals: Aberdeen; Hartley pens [19, 40, 65], Diamond [51]

Neil, Gibson and McLaughlin miss Accies opener

13/08/2010 15:08:11 by SPLBanter filed in News.

Accies will start the season without skipper Alex Neil who continues his recovery from hip surgery, and Long-term absentee James Gibson who is still to make his comeback after a cruciate-knee-ligament injury.

Mark McLaughlin is also expected to sit out their opening-day trip to Aberdeen due to an ankle knock.

Derek Lyle is back in the squad for the first time since recovering from his horror knee injury.

Hamilton [from]: Cerny, Canning, Crawford, Elebert, Elliott, Evans, Gillespie, McDonald, Buchanan, Thomas, Graham, Imrie, Kirkpatrick, Lyle, McAlister, Routledge, Mensing, Murdoch, Potter, Flavio Paixao, Marco Paixao, Ross, Skelton.

Accies snap up McDonald

04/08/2010 14:26:03 by SPLBanter filed in Transfers.

Accies have snapped up former Aberdeen midfielder Gary McDonald on a free after the 28 year-old left the Pittodrie when his contract expired at the end of last season.

Manager Billy Reid told the clubs official website: "I think he can bring a presence and goals to our team. Gary hitting the box can be a big asset for us,

"I felt we needed another addition in the centre of the park, with the loss of James Wesolowski and James McArthur from last season, and we will be missing Alex Neil at the start of the season,

"Gary is the first real attacking midfielder I’ve had since Stuart Taylor in our First Division winning season.

"By his own admission I don’t think he did as well as he could have at Aberdeen last season, but I know that he is raring to go just now. I’m pleased to add him to the squad."

In other news Accies have given striker Derek Lyle the chance to prove his fitness by offering the 29 year-old a short term contract until January.

Lyle who signed from Dundee at the start of the 2008-09 season suffered a horror knee injury in the first minute of Accies 0-0 draw against Falkirk at New Douglas Park in September last season.

Falkirk 0 Hamilton 1

26/04/2010 14:59:40 by SPLBanter filed in Match Reports.

Falkirk 0  Hamilton 1

Marco Paixao's first-half header gave Hamilton all three points at Falkirk and left the home side's Scottish Premier League future still very much in peril.

With relegation rivals St Mirren and Kilmarnock playing each other in Paisley, the Bairns had the chance to climb off the basement with a win.

However, not for the first time this season, Steven Pressley's side came up short despite enjoying almost total domination in the second half.

Falkirk: Olejnik, Barr, McLean, Duffy (Compton 63), Twaddle (Scobbie 24), O'Brien (Showunmi 46), Arfield, Flynn, Healy, Moutinho, Stewart

Hamilton: Murdoch, McClenahan, Canning (Wilkie 65), McLaughlin (Elebert 56), Wesolowski, Mensing, Antoine-Curier (Thomas 72), Neil, F Paixao, M Paixao, Imrie

Goals: Hamilton: M Paixao (19)

Easton season could be over

23/04/2010 14:53:28 by SPLBanter filed in News.

Billy Reid has said that he would love to keep on-loan Burnley defender Brian Easton beyond the end of this season.

Easton left Accies for The Clarets in a 350k move at the beginning of this season, but having found it difficult to break into the first team at Turf Moor on a regular basis found himself back on loan at the club he left only months earlier.

Highly rated by Accies manager Reid, he said: "Would we like him to come back here next season? You bet we would.

However, Easton will have moved up the pecking order at Burnley now with the retirement of ex-Dundee United full back Christian Kalvanes and Danny Jordan set for a switch to Bolton Wanderers.

With ex-Celtic left back Danny Fox now likely to be the only senior, recognised left-back at the club, Burnley they may be looking to keep hold of the player.

In the meantime Easton is set to miss the trip to Falkirk this weekend with a knee injury.

"We sent him for a scan yesterday and will wait for the results," Reid said.

"I think he will certainly miss Saturday's game against Falkirk. I'm hoping it isn't any longer, but I think for Brian it could be 'season over'."

The good news is that other than Easton, Billy Reid has a full squad to pick from.

Hamilton [from]: Cerny, Elebert, McLaughlin, Canning, Mensing, F Paixao, Neil, McArthur, Wesolowski, Antoine-Curier, M Paixao, McClenahan, van Zanten, Evans, Thomas, Gillespie, Wilkie, Murdoch.  

Finnigan out as Bairns host Accies

23/04/2010 14:21:30 by SPLBanter filed in News.

Falkirk striker Carl Finnigan is out of Saturday's clash with Hamilton at Westfield after failing to shake off a knock picked up last weekend.

Finnagan has only recently returned from a hamstring problem but he limped off during last weekend's defeat to Aberdeen and will miss out again.

There is better news, though, for Vitor Lima, who is pushing for a start after recovering from a knee injury.

Falkirk [from]: Olejnik, Duffie, Barr, Scobbie, McLean, Twaddle, Moutinho, Flynn, Arfield, Healy, O'Brien, Showunmi, Stewart, Wagenaar, Lynch, Compton, Lima, Bloom.