Canning’s men scrape through from spot
THE Hamilton fans who refused to dump their team in favour of some Valentine’s night romance were finally rewarded for their loyalty to the cause by goalkeeper Remi Matthews.
The Hamilton keeper saved three penalties in a shootout after a 1-1 draw at the Superseal Stadium, eventually earning the home side a crack at Rangers in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals.
Less than 700 home fans turned out in a crowd of 1222 at the Superseal Stadium, but the performance put on by Accies for the most part wasn’t worth a few nights on the sofa.
Callum Morris prodded home the opening goal for the visitors midway through the first half, and that looked to be enough before the same player carelessly conceded a penalty late on which Rakish Bingham coolly converted, just as he did against Kilmarnock in the previous round.
Matthews then saved Martin Canning from being in the doghouse with the Accies faithful again with his penalty heroics.
The visitors took a while to find their feet, but the strength of Nat Wedderburn in midfield allowed them to win the ball high up the park with Paul McMullan picking up and forcing Remi Matthews to tip a shot past the post.
They went one better 24 minutes in as a Kallum Higginbotham corner found Lee Ashcroft all alone at the back post. His looping header back across goal was headed off the line by Grant Gillespie, but he had another go, and this time the ball fell for Morris a couple off yards out to bundle home.
The visitors could have doubled their lead just after the restart as Michael Moffat’s flick-on put Nicky Clark in the clear, but a heavy touch saw the ball carry safely through to the grateful arms of Matthews.
Michael Devlin’s hooked effort was blocked on the line by Ashcroft, before Hamilton were awarded a spot-kick with four minutes remaining as Morris went from hero to villain.
There was no denying that Scott McMann was tripped, giving Bingham the chance to force extra-time from the spot. He duly delivered.
A quick free-kick presented Darian MacKinnon with a great chance just after the restart that Murdoch did well to block with his feet, and Bingham tested the Pars keeper too before a wicked cross from Jason Talbot at the other end just eluded Gavin Reilly and slipped past. Neither side could find a winner though, so penalties it was.
Danny Redmond put his horribly over the bar for Hamilton, but it counted for nothing in the end with Dunfermline unable to find the net at all.
Substitutes Rhys McCabe, Michael Paton and Reilly were all denied by Matthews, allowing captain Devlin to stride up and despatch the winner for a 3-0 triumph in the shootout. AYR United squeezed into the last eight of the Scottish Cup thanks to Michael Wardrobe’s goal three minutes from the end of extra time at Broadwood. But the Honest Men were tested before securing their berth against either Hearts or Hibs in Edinburgh.
The hosts looked set to take the lead after eight minutes when Phil Johnston’s long ball released Peter MacDonald and the striker lofted effort dropped inches wide.
Sean Higgins was off target by a similar margin just a minute later with a fizzing drive from 18 yards before Declan McDaid then showed how to finish in style after 11 minutes
He was picked out by Alan Forrest at the edge of the box and sent a fierce drive past Connor Quinn.
Clyde looked to hit back quickly and