Dundee United 2 v 2 Hamilton Accies
In a frantic first half which saw two players sent off and four well taken goals, it was always going to be a tricky task for the second half to supply the same entertainment and drama. In the end both teams had to settle with just the one point. With Hamilton going top of the league on goal difference, they were likely to be the happier of the two with the draw.
Hamilton started with the same team that hammered Ross County two weeks ago, whilst United were without Conor Townsend and the influential forward Ryan Dow, both missing out through injury.
First half
It was an extremely open start to the game, with both teams committing many players forward and looking vulnerable when the opposition counter-attacked.
The first real chance of the match came when Sean Dillon delivered a brilliant lob pass over the head of Ziggy Gordon and onto the cultured left boot of Chris Erskine. After a brilliant first touch, Erskine then cleverly played through Gary Mackay-Steven, inside the box, whose first time shot was struck into the palms of the former United goalkeeper Michael McGovern.
As the game continued to be played at an extremely high tempo, Hamilton also began asking questions. The Accies first chance came at 12 minutes, when Ali Crawford drove past the Dundee United midfield, played a quick one-two with Danny Redmond before dragging the ball just wide of Radoslaw Cierzniak’s goal.
Just three minutes later, it was United’s turn to attack. Darius Mackinnon’s defensive header fell to Ciftci just outside the 6 yard box; the venomous shot was palmed away by McGovern before Martin Canning headed away off the line, stopping Keith Watson from knocking it in at the back post.
It took 17 minutes for the deadlock to be broken. Hamilton’s Nicky Devlin nervously knocked the ball out of play for a United throw-in. With the ball off the pitch and the Hamilton defence sleeping, the quick thinking Mario Bilate instantly threw the ball into the path of Ciftci, who then showed great strength by holding off Canning, before calmly slotting the ball under McGovern and into the net. 1-0 United, with both teams looking dangerous.
Eight minutes later after creative play from Ali Crawford, Danny Redmond struck a low dipping shot from just outside the box, which was safely tipped away from danger by Cierzniak.
At 28 minutes, Hamilton were handed an equaliser, after Dougie Imrie’s miss-hit shot was poorly swung at by Callum Morris before falling nicely for Mickael Antoine-Curier, who slammed the ball passed Cierzniak for his third goal of the 2014-15 season.
However, despite this well worked Accies goal, their celebrations were cut short when Darius Mackinnon was shown a second yellow card for his unsporting celebrations in front of Ciftci and the Dundee United bench. 1-1, with Hamilton now reduced to ten men.
6 minutes later and against the run of play, Accies took the lead through Tony Andreu. The dangerous Antoine-Curier perfectly laid off the Frenchman whose 25 yard deceiving shot dipped under Cierzniak and into the back of the net, 2-1 Hamilton.
5 minutes before half time, United were also down to ten men. Paul Paton’s free kick found its way into the box and bounced invitingly into the path of Nadir Ciftci, who surreptitiously chose to slap the ball past McGovern and into the goal. Despite a few seconds of celebration, John Beaton called the Turk over and displayed Ciftci’s second yellow card of the afternoon, 2-1 Hamilton, with both sides down to ten men.
Despite the loss of two influential players, the game still flowed at an incredible tempo. The dismissal of both players equalled more space for dangerous attackers like Mackay-Steven, Erskine and Hamilton’s Crawford to drive into.
On the stroke of half time, United found a leveller through the robust and aggressive Jaroslaw Fojut. Mackay-Steven’s corner met the head of Fojut and flew with pace into the corner of the Hamilton goal, the Pole scoring his second goal for United since signing from Norwegian side Tromso.
As the whistle blew for half time, everyone inside Tannadice was delighted to catch their breath from such a frantic and dramatic first half.
Second half
The second half was largely disappointing when compared to the first. Both teams struggled to create the same amount of clear cut chances and precise passing that was on display before the break.
The first real chance of the second half fell at 53 minutes; again Mackay-Steven’s delivery met the head of Fojut, before his looping header was scooped off the line by Canning.
As the game continued, Hamilton began creating a few more nicely worked chances. On 71 minutes, Dougie Imrie’s outside of the boot pass split the United defence and forced Cierzniak into making a fine double save from powerful Antoine-Curier and Crawford shots.
Minutes after the massive opportunity for Hamilton to take the lead, the solid Paul Paton whizzed an effort just inches wide of the right hand post, as both teams searched for the goal that would see them take top spot in the Scottish Premiership.
In the final twenty minutes, United struggled to create opportunities with Chris Erskine switching to an unfamiliar role of centre forward, as both sides disappointingly resorted to long punts up the pitch, in the hope of a defensive slip-up.
With just four minutes to go, Michael Devlin passed up a golden opportunity to send Hamilton back to the west-coast with all three points in the bag. Crawford sliced a corner into the United’s six yard box, which aggressively met the head of Devlin, who sent the header just over Cierzniak’s cross bar and into the relieved Eddie Thompson stand.
An entertaining game that didn’t quite live up to the drama of the first half, the game could have supplied many more goals had the finishing been more precise.
Man of the Match
No huge stand outs, however, Keith Watson had a fairly solid match defensively. As the match continued we saw a more attacking side to the right back than we usually see, especially in the second half, where Keith brilliantly drove past six players in a 60 yard run that nearly saw Chris Erskine score a brilliantly worked goal.
UNITED: Cierzniak, Watson, Morris, Fojut, Dillon, Paton, Rankin, Mackay-Steven, Erskine, Ciftci, Bilate (Spittal 66).
Subs: Szromnik, Butcher, Spark, Smith, Telfer, Spittall, Connolly.
HAMILTON: McGovern, Gordon, Canning, Garcia Tena (Devlin 9), Gillespie, MacKinnon, Crawford, Imrie, Andreu (Longridge 76), Redmond (Hendrie 32), Antoine-Curier.
Subs: Hill, Devlin, Hendrie, Neil, Brophy, Longridge, Scotland.
REFEREE: John Beaton.
ATTENDANCE: 7109
In a frantic first half which saw two players sent off and four well taken goals, it was always going to be a tricky task for the second half to supply the same entertainment and drama. In the end both teams had to settle with just the one point. With Hamilton going top of the league on goal difference, they were likely to be the happier of the two with the draw.
Hamilton started with the same team that hammered Ross County two weeks ago, whilst United were without Conor Townsend and the influential forward Ryan Dow, both missing out through injury.
First half
It was an extremely open start to the game, with both teams committing many players forward and looking vulnerable when the opposition counter-attacked.
The first real chance of the match came when Sean Dillon delivered a brilliant lob pass over the head of Ziggy Gordon and onto the cultured left boot of Chris Erskine. After a brilliant first touch, Erskine then cleverly played through Gary Mackay-Steven, inside the box, whose first time shot was struck into the palms of the former United goalkeeper Michael McGovern.
As the game continued to be played at an extremely high tempo, Hamilton also began asking questions. The Accies first chance came at 12 minutes, when Ali Crawford drove past the Dundee United midfield, played a quick one-two with Danny Redmond before dragging the ball just wide of Radoslaw Cierzniak’s goal.
Just three minutes later, it was United’s turn to attack. Darius Mackinnon’s defensive header fell to Ciftci just outside the 6 yard box; the venomous shot was palmed away by McGovern before Martin Canning headed away off the line, stopping Keith Watson from knocking it in at the back post.
It took 17 minutes for the deadlock to be broken. Hamilton’s Nicky Devlin nervously knocked the ball out of play for a United throw-in. With the ball off the pitch and the Hamilton defence sleeping, the quick thinking Mario Bilate instantly threw the ball into the path of Ciftci, who then showed great strength by holding off Canning, before calmly slotting the ball under McGovern and into the net. 1-0 United, with both teams looking dangerous.
Eight minutes later after creative play from Ali Crawford, Danny Redmond struck a low dipping shot from just outside the box, which was safely tipped away from danger by Cierzniak.
At 28 minutes, Hamilton were handed an equaliser, after Dougie Imrie’s miss-hit shot was poorly swung at by Callum Morris before falling nicely for Mickael Antoine-Curier, who slammed the ball passed Cierzniak for his third goal of the 2014-15 season.
However, despite this well worked Accies goal, their celebrations were cut short when Darius Mackinnon was shown a second yellow card for his unsporting celebrations in front of Ciftci and the Dundee United bench. 1-1, with Hamilton now reduced to ten men.
6 minutes later and against the run of play, Accies took the lead through Tony Andreu. The dangerous Antoine-Curier perfectly laid off the Frenchman whose 25 yard deceiving shot dipped under Cierzniak and into the back of the net, 2-1 Hamilton.
5 minutes before half time, United were also down to ten men. Paul Paton’s free kick found its way into the box and bounced invitingly into the path of Nadir Ciftci, who surreptitiously chose to slap the ball past McGovern and into the goal. Despite a few seconds of celebration, John Beaton called the Turk over and displayed Ciftci’s second yellow card of the afternoon, 2-1 Hamilton, with both sides down to ten men.
Despite the loss of two influential players, the game still flowed at an incredible tempo. The dismissal of both players equalled more space for dangerous attackers like Mackay-Steven, Erskine and Hamilton’s Crawford to drive into.
On the stroke of half time, United found a leveller through the robust and aggressive Jaroslaw Fojut. Mackay-Steven’s corner met the head of Fojut and flew with pace into the corner of the Hamilton goal, the Pole scoring his second goal for United since signing from Norwegian side Tromso.
As the whistle blew for half time, everyone inside Tannadice was delighted to catch their breath from such a frantic and dramatic first half.
Second half
The second half was largely disappointing when compared to the first. Both teams struggled to create the same amount of clear cut chances and precise passing that was on display before the break.
The first real chance of the second half fell at 53 minutes; again Mackay-Steven’s delivery met the head of Fojut, before his looping header was scooped off the line by Canning.
As the game continued, Hamilton began creating a few more nicely worked chances. On 71 minutes, Dougie Imrie’s outside of the boot pass split the United defence and forced Cierzniak into making a fine double save from powerful Antoine-Curier and Crawford shots.
Minutes after the massive opportunity for Hamilton to take the lead, the solid Paul Paton whizzed an effort just inches wide of the right hand post, as both teams searched for the goal that would see them take top spot in the Scottish Premiership.
In the final twenty minutes, United struggled to create opportunities with Chris Erskine switching to an unfamiliar role of centre forward, as both sides disappointingly resorted to long punts up the pitch, in the hope of a defensive slip-up.
With just four minutes to go, Michael Devlin passed up a golden opportunity to send Hamilton back to the west-coast with all three points in the bag. Crawford sliced a corner into the United’s six yard box, which aggressively met the head of Devlin, who sent the header just over Cierzniak’s cross bar and into the relieved Eddie Thompson stand.
An entertaining game that didn’t quite live up to the drama of the first half, the game could have supplied many more goals had the finishing been more precise.
Man of the Match
No huge stand outs, however, Keith Watson had a fairly solid match defensively. As the match continued we saw a more attacking side to the right back than we usually see, especially in the second half, where Keith brilliantly drove past six players in a 60 yard run that nearly saw Chris Erskine score a brilliantly worked goal.
UNITED: Cierzniak, Watson, Morris, Fojut, Dillon, Paton, Rankin, Mackay-Steven, Erskine, Ciftci, Bilate (Spittal 66).
Subs: Szromnik, Butcher, Spark, Smith, Telfer, Spittall, Connolly.
HAMILTON: McGovern, Gordon, Canning, Garcia Tena (Devlin 9), Gillespie, MacKinnon, Crawford, Imrie, Andreu (Longridge 76), Redmond (Hendrie 32), Antoine-Curier.
Subs: Hill, Devlin, Hendrie, Neil, Brophy, Longridge, Scotland.
REFEREE: John Beaton.
ATTENDANCE: 7109