Hamilton Academical 3 - 4 Inverness CT

League Match
Wednesday, December 30th, 2015, 3:00 PM at New Douglas Park, Hamilton
Attendance: 1,555
Referee: Euan Anderson
Hamilton Academical Inverness CT

Goalscorers
Carlton Morris (66)
Ziggy Gordon (81)
Christian Nade (90)
Greg Tansey (18)
Liam Polworth (51)
Greg Tansey (88)
Liam Polworth (93)

Team Managers
Martin Canning John Hughes

Starting Eleven
Michael McGovern
Ziggy Gordon
Garcia Tena
Lucas De Lima Tagliapietra
Anton Kurakins
Grant Gillespie
Dougie Imrie
Darian Mackinnon
Ali Crawford
Louis Longridge
Eamonn Brophy
Owain Fon Williams
Gary Warren
David Raven
Daniel Devine
Carl Tremarco
Liam Polworth
Greg Tansey
Ross Draper
James Vincent
Nat Wedderburn
Miles Storey

Bench
Alan Martin
Daniel Redmond
Carlton Morris
Jamie Sendles-White
Greg Docherty
Christian Nade
Steven Boyd
Ryan Esson
Iain Vigurs
Danny Williams
Jordan Roberts
Dani Lopez
Andrea Mbuyi-Mutombo
Tobi Sho-Silva

Substitutions
Carlton Morris -> Louis Longridge (58)
Christian Nade -> Eamonn Brophy (75)
Daniel Redmond -> Dougie Imrie (90)
Danny Williams for Nat Wedderburn (87)

Bookings
Grant Gillespie (24)
Dougie Imrie (87)
Ross Draper (25)
David Raven (70)
Greg Tansey (83)

Red Cards
None. None.
Appearances & Goals To Date
Owain Fon Williams (GK) 24 apps -
Carl Tremarco 54 apps -
Daniel Devine 62 apps2 goals
David Raven 133 apps3 goals
Gary Warren 129 apps12 goals
Greg Tansey 126 apps22 goals
Ross Draper 137 apps7 goals
James Vincent 66 apps5 goals
Liam Polworth 53 apps5 goals
Nat Wedderburn 13 apps -
Miles Storey 15 apps7 goals
Danny Williams (sub) 88 apps4 goals

Starting Lineup
Youngest Player:Liam Polworth (21 years 84 days)
Oldest Player:Greg Tansey (2017 years 154 days)
Average Player Age:26 years 213 days
Domestic Players:3 (27.27 % of starting eleven)

Matchday Squad
Youngest Player:Liam Polworth (21 years 84 days)
Oldest Player:Greg Tansey (2017 years 154 days)
Average Player Age:27 years 91 days
Domestic Players:10 (55.56 % of matchday squad)

First Team Debuts

Milestones

Frankly Awesome:

Storm Frank did his best to disrupt this game but the plastic pitch at New Douglas Park stood up to the test and it was game on at a dreich NDP, and Inverness won a thriller 4-3.

Eamonn Brophy made his first start of the season for Hamilton at the expense of Carlton Morris. Morris was joined on the bench by Daniel Redmond, Christian Nade and Steven Boyd amongst others.

Inverness fielded David Raven once more with Carl Tremarco returning at left back. Still no sign of Josh Meekings. Jordan Roberts was on the bench along with Iain Vigurs, Dani Lopez and Danny Williams.

As at Pittodrie, Miles Storey missed a one on one with McGovern coming out on top after nine minutes, deflecting the ball with his legs to keep the score level.

Carl Tremarco lifted a ball over to Storey but his shot misses from the angle across the goal. Inverness were getting on top and won a free kick around thirty yards out. Greg Tansey took it and with Michael McGovern not covering himself in glory, the ball ended up high in the centre of the net.

Half an hour gone and Frank opens up again, dampening the atmosphere, the players responding by taking shelter on the pitch.

Devine broke the monotony, but his header from a corner goes just wide and five minutes before the break David Raven forced McGovern into making a save from close range.

Half Time 0-1

So far so good, but can we manage to avoid the late goal syndrome that has afflicted us all season?

154 away fans made the journey in this weather. Absolute nutters to be honest. It's horrendous out there, let's hope they get rewarded for their nuttery.

Five minutes into the second period and our new sensation Liam Polworth gave them more hope as he notched our second goal of the game, his third in a row. Raven sent him on his way and he made a bee line for the opposition box before rifling a shot low into the bottom corner.

Miles Storey was giving the Accies back line a hard time with his powerful running, causing concern every time he sprints after the ball, and that's enough for some of the Hamilton fans as they leave the building.

Carlton Morris replaced Louis Longridge as Accies looked to change things around, but Inverness were content to use the Miles Storey outlet to stretch the home defence.

Fon Williams was eventually asked to work saving from Crawford after 65 minutes but they would not be denied moments later as Morris flicks home from six yards to reduce the deficit.

Miles Storey caused more panic but was unable to find the net soon after as Inverness fans feel the pressure that comes with losing a two goal lead.

Accies were now dominating the game and we were looking like frightened rabbits as the home side went searching for a leveller, Christian Nade coming on for Brophy.

The inevitable happened though and ten minutes from the end Ziggy Gordon scored the equaliser with a header. Deja Vu.

That was just the start of it though and a frenetic finish to the game would ensue.

It looked as though Accies might now go on and win the game, but Tansey got the opportunity of another free kick in the 88th minute and some twenty five yards out. His first one was bludgeoned towards the goal, this one was curled brilliantly over the wall using the elements to fair gain and the ball whistled into the top corner, McGovern could do little about it.

But, late goals R us and one minute later Nade was knocking the ball beyond Owain Fon Williams at the other end with his head from a corner. This sparked a mass argument in the Inverness defence amongst themselves, plenty of finger pointing as win bonuses looked to be disappearing once more.

However, there was one more twist in the tale during the three minutes of stoppage time. Ross Draper fed Liam Polworth and our new superhero lashed an unstoppable shot across the keeper into the top corner. McGovern had little chance with Tansey's second free kick, he had not an earthly with this one. What a strike from 25 yards, the ball rocketed into the net.

Scenes of joy in the away end as we finally ended a game on a high and the long knives were put back in the drawer for another while.

Full Time, an incredible 3-4

Storm Frank turned this into some game and no doubt had a hand in some of the spectacular goals on show. I doubt you will see four better strikes in the same game. At one point we were facing throwing away a two goal lead for the second time in a week. Then we faced the prospect of another late, late, goal scuppering us. But, we never gave up and the winning goal was simply unbelievable. Full credit to all the players, Tansey and Polworth outstanding, but the real heroes were the 154 away fans who made the journey amid scenes of biblical proportions.

Alternative Maryill, one of our more observant fans had this to say about our midfield battlers after yesterdays game.

There was plenty to be encouraged by in addition to the final score. The midfield trio Tansey, Polworth and Draper was immense, key to us absolutely controlling the first hour of the game. After being one of our best and most important players last season, Tansey had seemed quieter and less confident in the early part of this season, but on the evidence of yesterday, he is starting to get back to his best. Draper drove us forward, as he apparently did against Aberdeen; we're simply a far better side with him in the team, and we need to get him tied to a new contract asap. And of course, the revelation of St Liam continues. For a good three months now, he has been the bright spot in the team: relentlessly industrious, and positive and dynamic in his passing and the runs he makes, where too many others have been timid and conservative. Yesterday's two goals encapsulated all these qualities and rewarded Polworth for what he brings to the team. The one concern, of course, is that if his ability and influence continue to develop at the pace they have done in the first half of this season, then he might be the next player to follow Christie out the door. Wedderburn also had a good game yesterday, commanding the area in front of the central defence and bringing the three aforementioned players into the game. Vincent, on the other hand, still looks like he doesn't quite know where he should be playing.

Match report written by tm4tj/alternative maryhill



Pld W D L F A +/- Pts
1. Celtic 19 13 4 2 47 16 31 43
2. Aberdeen 21 13 4 4 34 20 14 43
3. Hearts 20 10 6 4 34 22 12 36
4. St. Johnstone 20 9 4 7 35 31 4 31
5. Ross County 21 9 3 9 36 31 5 30
6. Motherwell 19 7 3 9 20 25 -5 24
7. Inverness CT 20 6 7 7 27 30 -3 25
8. Partick Thistle 19 6 6 7 19 23 -4 24
9. Dundee 20 5 8 7 29 35 -6 23
10. Hamilton Academical 20 6 4 10 25 34 -9 22
11. Kilmarnock 21 5 5 11 22 39 -17 20
12. Dundee Utd 20 2 4 14 17 39 -22 10

* - Table split into two divisions of six.