Saints condemn Hamilton to drop

May 13 2011 by Perthshire Advertiser Sport

ON a night when uncertainty was hanging in the air and the Heavens hosed the threadbare McDiarmid Park turf one last time before it was ripped-up, a first-half Liam Craig penalty ensured Saints signed-off their home campaign on a winning note.

The midfielder also missed one as an Accies side reduced to 10-men for an hour finally had to throw in a soggy towel as a desperate attempt to preserve their three-year SPL status finally foundered in Perth.

Craig’s 24th minute spot-kick strengthened Saints’ grip on eighth placed, mirroring last term’s finish, but events off the field hogged conversations around the stadium.

Manager Derek McInnes has been at the centre of fevered speculation, with the manager, board and fans all awaiting the next move. Brentford’s initial personal terms had done little to tempt him to uproot his wife and family and make for London over the summer.

There’s no obvious candidate to replace McInnes if he ships out, with the likelihood that Tony Docherty and Jody Morris would be following in his footsteps.

His defensive talisman, Michael Duberry, signed-off with the adulation of the supporters ringing in his ears as he bid a fond farewell.

But if McInnes is lingering, with chairman Geoff Brown now wanting to know quickly if he has to hunt down a new manager at a crucial time of the year, sweet-talking the hugely impressive defender into a new deal will be his most demanding task.

The odds right now are tipped against an extended stay, with family rather than football his priority. But it looked that way 12 months ago and hope springs eternal.

There’s no underplaying the influence Duberry has had on this team since being lured north. Ignore the numbers on the birth certificate, he’s a spring chicken compared with Rangers’ skipper Davie Weir and has been the single most important element in the defensive prowess which has kept Saints clear of the relegation wrangle.

Others, including longest servant Peter MacDonald, are counting down to the end of contracts and their own position will be clarified in the next few days.

Accies, unquestionably, had more to play for but McInnes has installed a professionalism and camaraderie in this squad which has carried them to three successive SPL wins for the first time this season, in the wake of a Hampden Park cup nadir which would have seen many teams going into hiding.

With Kenny Black in the stand to assess Murray Davidson’s form in advance of the next Scotland squad announcement, the contest ignited immediately, with a series of chances crafted at both ends in the first few minutes.

But Accies paid the price for failing to get their noses in front, and with St Mirren winning in Aberdeen they were dispatched to the First Division.

Match winner Craig twice fluffed opportunities and only a desperate intervention prevented the midfielder tucking away an Andy Jackson cutback after Duberry had drilled a Baltacha-like pass out to the flank.

Hesitant keeper Cerny flapped a Davidson header off the line and Jamie Adams powered a shot straight at him before McAlister squandered a free header minutes before the first penalty.

Keeper Peter Enckleman’s clearance was flicked on superbly by spring-heeled Peter MacDonald and Jackson sliced through a gaping hole in the Accies defence.

The energetic centre was chopped down before he could strike and while it might have been on the edge of the box, referee Steve Conroy decreed it was a penalty and the red card for McLaughlin was inevitable.

Craig sent Cerny the wrong way and now Sam Parkin will have to hand over the top scorer trophy he picked-up prematurely from the fans.

With the rain teeming down, Millar came close to doubling the lead minutes after the break and in 57 minutes MacDonald cut past Mensing in the area and was chopped down unceremoniously.

Perth penalties have been rare breeds but this time Cerny guessed right and palmed out Craig’s shot and Adams blazed over the rebound.

That would have sucked any lingering resistance out of Accies, although drowning manager Billy Reid was going apoplectic in the technical area at every decision going against his side.

MacDonald was desperate to mark his 250th appearance and potential final bow at McDiarmid with a goal but while Cerny scrambled to fend off one strike from distance, neither side looked likely to find the net.

Four minutes from the end, with the smart suit drenched, McInnes finally donned another protective layer. But by that time a life jacket might have been more appropriate as the storm refused to relent.

SAINTS: Enckelman, Mackay, Maybury (Invincibile 75), Anderson, Duberry, Davidson, Adams (Reynolds 84), Millar, Craig, Jackson (May 75) and MacDonald. Subs not used: Smith, Taylor, Robertson and Durnan.

HAMILTON ACCIES: Cerny, McLaughlin, Imrie, McDonald, Neil, McAlister, Buchanan (Elebert 37), Crawford (Chambers 79), Routledge (Gillespie 90), Mensing and Hasselbaink. Subs not used: Murdoch, Kilday, Elliot and Antoine-Curier.

REFEREE: Steve Conroy.