U18s
Saints U20s 0-0 Hamilton Accies U20s
17th April 2018
Tuesday 17th April
It was honours even between Saints and Accies in tonight’s Development League game at McDiarmid Park.
Both sides matched each other for large spells of the half and Saints best chance of the first half fell to Jamie Mackenzie but the midfielder put his effort inches wide.
It was a similar story during the second half although Saints almost grab a late goal with a couple of minutes to go but Accies keeper made a great save to deny Cameron Ballantyne.
MATCH REPORT
Saints U20s welcomed Hamilton Accies to McDiarmid Park this evening for their penultimate home game of the season.
The visitors got the match underway and within 30 seconds they created the first chance of the match as Lewis Smith delivered an inviting cross from the right that Marc Kelly was inches away from making a connection with.
On 22 minutes the young Saints created a good chance to break the deadlock as Kyle McClean broke forward from midfield before slipping the ball into the path of Jamie Mackenzie whose shot went inches wide of the Accies goal.
The play switched to the other end 2 minutes later as a Ross Cunningham free kick from the right picked out Smith at the back post who headed inches wide of Ross Sinclair’s goal. Then on 27 minutes Sinclair produced a good one-handed save to push over a Cunningham strike for a corner.
On 32 minutes Accies keeper Alexander Marshall got down low to make a good save to deny Mackenzie whose header looked goal bound. Then on 41 minutes McClean had a shot at goal that went wide of the target.
Then just before the half time whistle Accies should have taken the lead as a long ball forward saw Smith in on goal but Sinclair made a great save to deny the Accies midfielder.
Saints got the second half underway but it was Accies who created the first chance of the half on 54 minutes as Cunningham floated a free kick into the box which picked out Ryan Tierney whose effort was well saved by Sinclair.
On 57 minutes Mackenzie’s ball into the box picked-out Jamie Docherty however, the Saints midfielder couldn’t make a proper connection with the ball as his effort went wide of the target.
Hamilton should have taken the lead on 63 minutes as another Cunningham free kick was delivered in to the box to George Stanger how the effort from defender was brilliantly cleared of the line by McClean. Then 5 minutes later Smith advanced with the ball before unleashing a strike at goal that went narrowly over.
Both sides were matching each other for large spells. On 72 minutes Cameron Thomson picked McClean whose effort was saved and then from the follow-up Cameron Lumsden blazed the ball across the goal line but there was no one there to tap it home as Accies cleared the danger.
With 2 minutes remaining Saints almost snatched all three points as a McClean free kick picked out Cameron Ballantyne who directed the ball towards goal but Accies keeper Marshall made a great save to tip the ball around the post for a corner.
Saints U20s: Sinclair, Lumsden, Thomson, Wilson, Quigley, Brian, Mackenzie, McCann, Docherty, McClean, Ballantyne
Unused Substitutes: Wills (GK), Jardine, Woolley, Green, Northcott, Donald, Hamilton
Booked: Ballantyne
Hamilton Accies U20s: Marshall, Boyd, McCann, Stanger, Douglas, Hughes, Kelly, Breen, Tierney, Cunningham, Smith
Unused Substitutes: Connelly (GK), Wilson, Mimnaugh, Scullion, Joseph, Slaven
Booked: None
Referee: Scott Lambie
Match Report by Daryl Scott
Picture: Ross Sinclair