YFS
Hamilton moved three points ahead of Rangers in the SPFL Development League after a thoroughly convincing 4-0 win against the Glasgow side. Rangers were second best from the outset, with Accies producing some tantalising football, against a Rangers team that had many youngsters starting due to Monday night’s cup tie against Queens Park.
The experienced Accies side had the ball in the back of the net early on through a well struck Steven Boyd effort, the Hamilton striker then doubled the lead when he struck home from a rebound off the cross bar. The tight Hamilton defence managed to confine Rangers to a few shots from outside the penalty area, and truth being told, Rangers never looked like scoring.
The second half was to be no better for the Ibrox men, when Ryan Tierney knocked in from a Ben Reilly cross, and Accies substitute Marc Kelly got the fourth on 79 minutes. The dominance shown by Hamilton can be reinforced by the sense of achievement felt, when someone cried with joy at Rangers being awarded a corner kick.
The opener came on two minutes from a loose defensive clearance. Boyd saw that Robby McCrorie was well off his line and lobbed with his first touch from twenty five yards.
Then from the kick off, Kyle Bradley struck from thirty yards but his effort was easily picked up by Accies 'keeper Alan Martin.
Accies kept the pressure up and won the ball in the Rangers half with Boyd setting up Tierney for a 15 yard shot, but McCrorie saved well. Within the minute, Tierney had a further couple of attempts on goal, but both took deflections away from their intended target.
The lead was almost doubled when Scott McMann took the ball to the bye line and sent a fizzing ball across the six yard box. Tierney raced in but failed to connect by mere inches.
The inevitable happened when Alex D’Acol won the ball and set Tierney free on route to goal. He passed inside to Boyd who struck the cross bar on his first effort, but made no mistake from the rebound to double their lead.
Fraser Aird and Jamie Brandon both had twenty yard strikes go wide of the Hamilton goal, but Brandon showed a moment of skill late on in the half that shone a little light on his ability and for his team. He received the ball on the edge of the Accies penalty area and somehow wormed his way through a tight packed defence. Unfortunately his shot though was tame and Martin saved comfortably.