AN ICE BREAKER
MacKinnon strikes late to give Rice momentum
IT is difficult to know what is the most surprising. Darian MacKinnon, hardly an arch goalscorer, sidefooting the ball in from 20 yards in stoppage-time with the composure of Lionel Messi or Hamilton’s players leaving the field to rousing cheers from the same punters who were within an ace of parading former manager Martin Canning round the retail park at the back of the Hope CBD Stadium with a burning tyre round his neck.
Whatever the answer, the team captain’s first strike in more than 17 months to earn a deserved point against Dundee helped create the distinct sense there is, indeed, a new era beginning at Accies under new boss Brian Rice.
Whilst containing scrappy spells, as you’d expect from two teams in a relegation battle, this was a perfectly entertaining encounter. It contained two great goals — the other coming from Dundee’s Scott Wright midway through the second half — and a handful of really spectacular saves from both goalkeepers.
Rice, as promised, tried to keep his side on the front foot throughout and that translated into a lighter, better atmosphere inside the stadium among the 1,400-plus home support.
How long it lasts remains to be seen, but the signs are certainly promising at a club that needs to start creating more of a buzz around its community as well as picking up the points to survive.
‘Just to try and break the ice a wee bit, I spoke to the lads in the changing room afterwards and said that if we can get Darian MacKinnon scoring from there, we can do anything,’ smiled Rice.
‘The boys just said: “I think you’re right, gaffer”.
‘I wanted the players to send the fans home for their pint happy and I think we did that. A draw was probably a fair result.’
In many regards, this game signalled the dawn of a new era for Dundee, too.
Although manager Jim McIntyre has been in position since August, he signed 11 players over the January window and had 10 in his squad with five debutants in the starting XI.
Over the piece, he had reason to be content. Even though he didn’t always shine on the left, Wright, on loan from Aberdeen, is a player of talent. Ryan McGowan looks like he will provide much-needed steel in defence. Were it not for the early efforts of home goalie Gary Woods, they could have wrapped this up early.
Goalkeeper Seny Dieng, who would spoil an otherwise pleasing display at the death, made a good early save from George Oakley and saw McGowan and Genseric Kusunga combine to deny Tony Andreu from the rebound.
Towards the end of the opening period, though, the visitors began to seize control with their first genuine opportunity coming on the half hour.
Nathan Ralph provided a ball in from the left and Gary Woods produced an excellent point-blank save from a Martin Woods header. He would then deliver something equally spectacular before the interval.
Andy Dales received a pass from Ethan Robson 25 yards out and produced a fantastic low drive that looked destined for the bottom corner until Woods dived fulllength to his left to divert it wide.
There was little he could do to prevent the opener when it came, though. Wright’s finish was just too clinical.
There had been claims the ball had gone out of play wide right when Craig Curran raced on to it and fired a ball crossfield to Ralph.
The Englishman stormed into a good position and fed the ball inside to substitute Paul McGowan, making himself available for the return.
McGowan certainly tried to play the one-two, but it broke off the outstretched leg of MacKinnon and made its way to Wright.
He took a touch to control the ball on the edge of the area and pinged a delicious right-footed effort that left the keeper off-balance and outfoxed.
If Woods had made two wonderful saves at the other end, Dieng pulled off a stop of equal wonder in the 73rd minute.
Aaron McGowan released a firsttime shot from the left of the area that took the most vicious of deflections.
The 24-year-old, despite spotting it late, instinctively threw out an arm to his left and somehow managed to stop the ball from crossing the line.
His next major involvement, though, would conclude in the equaliser.
The on-loan Queens Park Rangers player raced from his line to try to cut out a long ball, but succeeded only in slicing it to Andreu.
The Frenchman duly played it infield to substitute Steve Davies, who, in turn, laid it off to MacKinnon.
His game-changing effort would be Accies’ 14th shot at goal in the game.
That, in itself, tells a story.