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  • Date: 2008-08-11
  • Kick-off: 19:45
  • Attendance: 4385
  • Referee: Dougal, S

Live Commentary

90mins

That's it, it's all over, the referee has blown the final whistle.

90mins

James McCarthy is being taken off, Derek Lyle has come on in his place.

80mins

Danny Swanson is booked for unsporting behaviour.

68mins

Roy O'Donovan is being taken off, Francisco Jose Sandaza has come on in his place.

67mins

Richard Offiong is being taken off, Lucas Akins has come on in his place.

67mins

Hamilton are replacing David Graham with Mark Corcoran.

63mins

Goal!! Hamilton have scored with David Graham putting it in the back of the net.

62mins

David Graham is booked for unsporting behaviour.

55mins

Willo Flood is booked for unsporting behaviour.

46mins

The second half is under way with the score currently at 2 v 1.

46mins

Dundee Utd are replacing Prince Buaben with Danny Swanson.

45mins

Half time whistle is blown by S Dougal

39mins

Goal!! James McArthur scores for Hamilton.

36mins

The referee has booked Danny Grainger.

31mins

Mark McLaughlin goes into the referees book for unsporting behaviour.

29mins

Goal!! Tony Stevenson scores for Hamilton.

23mins

Own goal, Mark McLaughlin has put it in his own net.

21mins

Prince Buaben is booked for unsporting behaviour.

0mins

The ref has blown his whistle and the match has started.

Match Report

Hamilton got their SPL campaign off to a perfect start with a deserved 3-1 win over Dundee United at New Douglas Park.

The win owed something to a moment of controversy when James McArthur appeared to handle the second goal into the back of the net, after Mark McLaughlin's header had looped over keeper Lukasz Zaluska.

It was undoubtedly a turning point, but was probably a break Hamilton deserved after having worked so hard, particularly in the first half.

Yet Dundee United had taken an unlikely lead in 23 minutes when Willo Flood's cross from the left was headed into the bottom left corner by luckless McLaughlin.

That lead lasted only six minutes, however, when free-kick specialist Tony Stevenson drilled a set-piece through the defensive wall and past startled Zaluska.

Accies grabbed their second goal 10 minutes later when McArthur bundled McLaughlin's header into the net.

United tried to get themselves back into the match, but were hit with a classic sucker-punch when McArthur's pass found the lively Richard Offiong in the box and his path was blocked, only for the ball to fall to David Graham, who took a touch before blasting the ball past Zaluska from 16 yards.

Hamilton then had keeper Tomas Cerny to thank for keeping them in front, with a string of superb saves, most notably from Morgaro Gomis and sub Francisco Sandaza.

Sandaza met a Danny Swanson cross with a deft header, which Cerny brilliantly touched past the bottom left corner, before Gomis' netbound effort was punched over the top left corner.

However Accies sub Lucas Akins looked lively throughout and was desperately unlucky to see Zaluska save his fierce effort on the turn in second-half stoppage time.

For an established SPL side with designs on challenging for Europe, this was perhaps a timely wake-up call for United, as Hamilton looked the better and more hungry side throughout.

Graham was unlucky to see an early effort punched away from the top left corner, and Offiong was unfortunate to see a low effort touched onto the base of the right post, having mugged Lee Wilkie of possession.

However, for Hamilton this was an ideal start and one their fans in the 4385 crowd were delighted with, as they face their second test up at Inverness on Saturday.

Hamilton Academical

Dundee United

Corners

67

Fouls

1614

Goal attempts

139

Shots off target

24

Offsides

12

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