EX-RANGER KAL RIDES TO GLORY
NOT MUCH can be gleaned from James Beattie’s stint with Rangers but the Accrington boss did see the potential in Kal Naismith at Ibrox – and the 22-year-old came off the bench to snatch Stanley a late victory against Torquay.
Naismith struck with a left footed strike with ten minutes to go to secure a win that lifts Accrington eight points clear of safety.
So not all was lost on Beattie’s seven-game stint north of the border in 2010/11.
“Kal is a big talent and I saw that whilst I was up at Rangers and that's why I tried so hard to get him down to Accrington in the summer,” said Beattie.
“He has come on at the end with fresh legs, having had a week off or so, and has shown a touch of class to break the deadlock.
“I've got no doubt that what's in that dressing room – if we do the right things at the right times it is a very good side.
“We've just got to carry on doing what we are doing and I think the position we find ourselves in after having no wins in the first 11 games- is tremendous.”
Following a cagey opening period, the first of the match fell to Torquay’s Shamir Goodwin who fired wide with a long range effort on seven minutes.
On 13 minutes, Gulls’ keeper Michael Poke produced fine reflex save – after Anthony O’Connor had turned a long throw from Accrington’s Nicky Hunt back across goal – to tip the ball behind for a corner.
On 38 minutes, Poke was once again called into action; this time to deny Kayode Odejayi after the former Barnsley man was teed up following good work from Piero Mongoia and George Bowerman.
Stanley started the second half brightly as Mongoia connected with a cross from Bowerman and headed straight into the arms of Poke on 48 minutes.
In the 58th minute, Torquay striker Conor Wilkinson stung the hands of Stanley keeper Bettenelli with a long range shot that was eventually turned behind for a corner.
From the resulting corner, the Gulls forced another corner which saw Labadie have a header blocked on the line by Michael Liddle.
The Gulls had an appeal for a penalty turned down nine minutes later when Labadie appeared to have been upended in the box.
However, it was Stanley who broke the deadlock in the 80th minute when substitute Naismith scored from 20yards.
“It’s tough, but no one said it would be easy,” said Torquay boss Chris Hargreaves.
“I took the job on knowing how difficult it would be, and it’s a game that we shouldn’t have lost. “In one instance in 90 minutes, we let someone have too much time on the ball and if you do that
you get punished.”
TORQUAY: (4-4-2) Poke 7, Tonge 6, Pearce 7, O’Connor 6, Cruise 6 (Nicholson 46 6 ), Goodwin 6, Labadie 6, Mansell 6 (Stevens 85 N/A), Chapell 7, Hawley 6 (O’Brien 85 6), Wilkinson 7 Subs not used: Downes, Harding, Rice, Benyon
ACCRINGTON: (4-4-2) Bettinelli 7, Hunt 7, Aldred 7, Winnard 7, Liddle 7, Mingoia 7, Joyce 7, Murphy 7, Molyneux 8, Odejayi 7, Bowerman 7 (Naismith 69 8)
Subs not used: McCartan, Hatfield, Gray, Windass, Atkinson, Hazeldine