First Team
Match Report | Rangers 1-1 Dundee United
23rd November 2024
Hamilton Accies secured their position as United's bogey team with a 2-1 victory at New Douglas Park this afternoon. Two second-half goals from Chris Swailes cancelled out a first-half Danny Grainger free-kick to give Accies their second home victory over United this season and dump United out of the cup at the fifth round stage.
Both sides threatened early on. First, James McCarthy saw his shot from inside the United box deflected wide for a corner before Warren Feeney then had a golden opportunity at the other end. Fed the ball by Prince Buaben, Feeney advanced on Thomas Cerny but the Accies keeper saved with his knees to put it wide for a corner.
Hamilton dangerman McCarthy then had another couple of chances. With Zaluska out of his goal, the youngster squared the ball across the box but the ball was cleared. Moments later, he shot well over the bar having done well to make space.
Hamilton's best chance of the opening 45 came after 16 minutes. A corner from the right was headed back across goal by Swailes to Kenny Deuchar whose header bounced back off the bar and into the path of James Gibson. He took a first-time shot at goal but Lee Wilkie was on the line to deflect it wide.
United went ahead after 34 minutes. McCarthy got himself into trouble midway in his own half as Buaben robbed him of the ball. The United midfielder made for goal but McCarthy bundled him to the ground just outside the box and Charlie Richmond awarded the free kick. At the set piece, Craig Conway rolled the ball to Danny Grainger who struck a low left-foot shot round the wall and into the bottom corner of the net, despite the best efforts of keeper Cerny.
United looked keen to add a second before half time and Morgaro Gomis saw his shot blocked after excellent running by Conway. Grainger then saw his first-time shot from Conway's corner blocked by Simon Mensing. From the resultant corner, Garry Kenneth headed back across goal from the back post where Feeney stooped to head the ball inches wide from six yards out.
United were to rue those missed chances when, within 10 minutes of the restart, they were behind. On 47 minutes, McCarthy beat Sean Dillon to the byline and cut the ball back across goal where Accies players were queuing up to score. The ball fell to Swailes and he made no mistake as he fired into the top right corner of an empty net.
Eight minutes later, Swailes was on the scoresheet again. He was at the back post to head in a Brian Easton corner from point-blank range. The United players and coaching staff were furious with referee Richmond after he failed to award a free kick for handball in the build-up to the goal and Feeney saw yellow as a result of his continued protests.
It could have been worse for United three minutes later when substitute Richard Offiong was played in by McCarthy but Zaluska was alert enough to block the striker's shot.
As United chased the game, Craig Levein introduced Danny Swanson and Francisco Sandaza to proceedings, replacing Dillon and Feeney but United were struggling to break down a resolute Accies defence. The best chance of an equaliser fell to Lee Wilkie with five minutes to go. A lovely cross from Gomis found Wilkie in the box but his header was somehow saved on the line by Cerny from point-blank range.
United continued to press in the closing stages as Accies ran the clock down - Brian Easton receiving a yellow card for timewasting as they tried to hang on. However, the last action of the game saw Lukasz Zaluska's header at goal cleared, after the keeper swapped boxes in a desperate attempt to secure an equaliser.
Man of the match
United just can't get it right against Accies. One man who did try to play football and create openings was Craig Conway. The impressive midfielder put in a great shift for the full 90 minutes and was unlucky to be on the losing side.
Teams:
Hamilton: Cerny, Easton, McCarthy, Deuchar (Offiong 50), Neil, Swailes, Gibson, Canning, McClenahan, Quinn (Lyle 66), Mensing
Unused subs: Murdoch, Thomas, McGowan
United: Zaluska, Dillon (Swanson 75), Grainger, Wilkie, Feeney (Sandaza 75), Daly, Conway, Gomis (D Robertson 88), Kenneth, Kovacevic, Buaben
Unused subs: McGovern, Dixon
Referee: Charlie Richmond
Attendance: 3,058
Click here for the full report by Ross Burns.
Both sides threatened early on. First, James McCarthy saw his shot from inside the United box deflected wide for a corner before Warren Feeney then had a golden opportunity at the other end. Fed the ball by Prince Buaben, Feeney advanced on Thomas Cerny but the Accies keeper saved with his knees to put it wide for a corner.
Hamilton dangerman McCarthy then had another couple of chances. With Zaluska out of his goal, the youngster squared the ball across the box but the ball was cleared. Moments later, he shot well over the bar having done well to make space.
Hamilton's best chance of the opening 45 came after 16 minutes. A corner from the right was headed back across goal by Swailes to Kenny Deuchar whose header bounced back off the bar and into the path of James Gibson. He took a first-time shot at goal but Lee Wilkie was on the line to deflect it wide.
United went ahead after 34 minutes. McCarthy got himself into trouble midway in his own half as Buaben robbed him of the ball. The United midfielder made for goal but McCarthy bundled him to the ground just outside the box and Charlie Richmond awarded the free kick. At the set piece, Craig Conway rolled the ball to Danny Grainger who struck a low left-foot shot round the wall and into the bottom corner of the net, despite the best efforts of keeper Cerny.
United looked keen to add a second before half time and Morgaro Gomis saw his shot blocked after excellent running by Conway. Grainger then saw his first-time shot from Conway's corner blocked by Simon Mensing. From the resultant corner, Garry Kenneth headed back across goal from the back post where Feeney stooped to head the ball inches wide from six yards out.
United were to rue those missed chances when, within 10 minutes of the restart, they were behind. On 47 minutes, McCarthy beat Sean Dillon to the byline and cut the ball back across goal where Accies players were queuing up to score. The ball fell to Swailes and he made no mistake as he fired into the top right corner of an empty net.
Eight minutes later, Swailes was on the scoresheet again. He was at the back post to head in a Brian Easton corner from point-blank range. The United players and coaching staff were furious with referee Richmond after he failed to award a free kick for handball in the build-up to the goal and Feeney saw yellow as a result of his continued protests.
It could have been worse for United three minutes later when substitute Richard Offiong was played in by McCarthy but Zaluska was alert enough to block the striker's shot.
As United chased the game, Craig Levein introduced Danny Swanson and Francisco Sandaza to proceedings, replacing Dillon and Feeney but United were struggling to break down a resolute Accies defence. The best chance of an equaliser fell to Lee Wilkie with five minutes to go. A lovely cross from Gomis found Wilkie in the box but his header was somehow saved on the line by Cerny from point-blank range.
United continued to press in the closing stages as Accies ran the clock down - Brian Easton receiving a yellow card for timewasting as they tried to hang on. However, the last action of the game saw Lukasz Zaluska's header at goal cleared, after the keeper swapped boxes in a desperate attempt to secure an equaliser.
Man of the match
United just can't get it right against Accies. One man who did try to play football and create openings was Craig Conway. The impressive midfielder put in a great shift for the full 90 minutes and was unlucky to be on the losing side.
Teams:
Hamilton: Cerny, Easton, McCarthy, Deuchar (Offiong 50), Neil, Swailes, Gibson, Canning, McClenahan, Quinn (Lyle 66), Mensing
Unused subs: Murdoch, Thomas, McGowan
United: Zaluska, Dillon (Swanson 75), Grainger, Wilkie, Feeney (Sandaza 75), Daly, Conway, Gomis (D Robertson 88), Kenneth, Kovacevic, Buaben
Unused subs: McGovern, Dixon
Referee: Charlie Richmond
Attendance: 3,058
Click here for the full report by Ross Burns.
