Crash cuts off crucial cup cash boost
Dunfermline 0 Hamilton 2
DChris Tait at East End Park UNFERMLINE Athletic have been left bruised by their circumstances this season and the fifth round of the William Hill Scottish Cup offered little relief.
Financial problems have become a serious discomfort for the Fife side, and they were denied the prospect of a significant cash i njection as Hamilton Academical booked their place in the quarter-final draw yesterday. The two sides have come to operate at different ends of the spectrum in the First Division this season – Dunfermline are third and Hamilton seventh – but the results that have coloured their campaigns became blurred in the cup yesterday, in a tie that followed a noon pitch inspection.
The most glaring chance of the game– but not the most significant – came after 25 minutes when Dunfermline goalkeeper Paul Gallacher scuffed a clearance to Stevie May, whose squared pass was met by Jon Routledge.
The Hamilton midfielder was only seven yards out but sent a careless shot towards the open goal, failing to see Callum Morris arriving to thunder the ball clear.
Dunfermline had already gone close through Andy Dowie’s first-half header and a low shot from Ryan Wallace which was blocked by a forearm of Hamilton goalkeeper Kevin Cuthbert.
At 30, he is an uncommon source of experience in this Accies side, but it is one which has learned to rely on youthful intent. Perhaps the most precocious figure is May, on loan from St Johnstone, even if the striker swiped at fresh air when Stephen Hendrie clipped a pass across goal early in the second half.
The miss was per t i nent since he did not enjoy his most accomplished performance, but May would still redeem himself after 51 minutes, striding towards the penalty area and lashing a fierce drive in off the crossbar.
“What do you say? What a finish that was – a thunderbolt off the underside of the bar,” said Accies manager Billy Reid. That perhaps e ncouraged Rouledge to seek atonement as he thumped a shot into the net for Hamilton’s second 10 minutes later.
Andy Kirk came closest to r educing t he l eeway when he nudged a shot on to a post midway through the half. “There was plenty effort but it just didn’t fall for us,” said Dunfermline manager Jim Jefferies.