SPFL Under 20 League, 27 November 2012, Accies 0 - Hibernian 4

After Saturday's first team defeat the last thing I wanted to see was another one but unfortunately that's what I got last night with the Accies under 20 team being well beaten by Hibs courtesy of goals from hat trick hero no. 10 Cummings and a single strike from no. 9 Caldwell. Accies started brightly enough and in just over 2 minutes had a shot on goals but it was Hibs who scored first in 19 minutes through Caldwell. Accies keeper Currie blocked a Hibs shot but the ball fell to Caldwell who struck it well. This sparked a period of Accies dominance but shots from Mcnaught, Ryan (twice) and Brophy (twice) in a 13 minute spell were all cleared or saved. As half time approached it looked as though Accies would go in a goal down but in 41 minutes Currie failed to hold a ball and Cummings was on hand to put the ball in the back of the net. The second half started in similar fashion with Accies having a free kick just outside the box but Ryan's attempt was well over. Cummings added a third for Hibs in 69 minutes when he met a cross with a spectacular overhead kick that gave Currie no chance. Hibs compounded a miserable night for Accies when Cummings completed his hat trick in 77 minutes. The ball fell to him in the Accies half and evading a defender he had only the keeper to beat which he did. This result leaves Accies in sixth place in the Under 20 league table with 20 points but still only 2 behind leaders Inverness and with 2 games in hand. Also at the game last night following on his saturday visit was Alloa manager Paul Hartley. As he was supposed to be interviewed by Inverness for thier vacant managerial position yesterday he must have flown down the A9.

The full Under 20  table is available at :-

http://spfl.co.uk/reserve-and-youth/u20-league-table/

SPFL Under 20 League, 12 November 2012, Accies 2 - Dunfermline Athletic 0

After losing their last two games, Accies under 20's got back to winning ways at New Douglas Park on Tuesday night with a comfortable 2 - 0 win over Dunfermline Athletic. Before the kick off I was able to admire the progress that Peter Howson is making on his wall mural. Away fans and those in sections A to D of the main stand are going to have a cracking view and if they tire of the football they can at least admire the mural. Captaining the Accies team was Jesus Garcia Tena and although he didn't score this was a captains' performance earning my man of the match vote. 

Accies started brightly and in 3 minutes a cross from Craig Johnston fell to Tena  who hit the ball awkwardly passed the goal post. Three minutes later an identical cross from Johnson was cleared just before Tena could get a  foot to it. In 17 minutes Mcgrath found Tena again but he was  quickly ruled  ruled offside. Dunfermline came into the game later in the first half with corners in the 30th and 33 minutes but made little use of them. Their best and possibly only chance of the game came in 39 minutes when the ball fell to Dunfermline's no 7 Ryan Ferguson near the goal line, but Currie for Accies managed to turn the ball past the post for a corner. Shortly afterwards Accies broke up the field and a cross from Tena on the left hand side of the park was expertly struck by Mcgrath from 10 yards out side the box giving the Dunfermline keeper no chance. 

The second half was somewhat disjointed with both sides making multiple substitutions but Accies were rarely threatened and secured all three points in 80 minutes when the ball fell to Greg Docherty, who from about 20 yards struck the ball past an again helpless Dunfermline keeper. That was all the action and I wonder if Tena may make a first team appearance on Saturday or will Mcgrath be filling a strikers slot?

Accies - Currie, Finnie, Mcmann, El Zubaidi, Kilday , Watson, Longridge, Docherty, McGrath, Tena (c), Johnston Subs Smith, Armstrong, Harrison, Granger, Quinn. 

More Managerial Merry Go Rounds

In September I reported that Richie Burke of Livingstone was the first managerial casualty of the season and wondered if the axe would fall on Danny Lennon or John Brown? Such are the vagaries of football that six weeks later both these managers look safe for the time being with Saint Mirren sitting in 11th position in the Premiership but 15 points above Hearts and Dundee suddenly putting a series of wins together to claw back within one point of Accies before last weeks' defeat. But there have been other casualties. Perhaps no surprise that Jimmy Boyle of Airdrieonians was October's, quickly replaced by Gary Bollan himself somewhat surprisingly sacked by Livvie last season despite achieving two promotions. November is only a day old and the biggest name so far has joined the ranks of the unemployed with Pat Fenlon 'resigning' from his post at Hibernian after a 2 year spell that so him take the club to 2 Scottish Cup finals but fail to improve significantly on their league position and this week saw his team knocked out of the League Cup by arch rivals Hearts. A winner of 5 titles in the League of Ireland he has found Hibs a tougher nut to crack and the club is now seeking their 10th manager in 16 years according to the BBC. So whose next ? The spotlight in recent weeks has been on Kilmarnock, Queen of the South and Morton. Despite funds which most recently allowed him to sign Nacho Novo on a short term contract its not looking good for Morton's Allan Moore. But one thing I can say with certainty is that there will be no shortage of candidates for whatever vacancy occurs.