Shot-shy Saints can only fire blanks

0 Comments | Sunday Mirror, Mar 22, 2009 | by RONNIE ESPLIN

HAMILTON 0

ST MIRREN 0

HAMILTON keeper Tomas Cerny was red-carded but the misfiring Saints were unable to build on their Scottish Cup heroics.

Gus MacPherson's side were slow out of the traps despite their win over Celtic and couldn't capitalise when the keeper was given his marching orders for a foul on Craig Dargo nine minutes from time.

Accies should have taken the lead in the 26th minute but Kenny Deuchar slashed wildly over.

The hosts continued to make chances but James McCarthy's shot just before the break came off a post then Jack Ross was forced to clear a cross off the line.

Saints were subdued and Garry Brady wasted their best chance by blazing over from around the penalty spot midway through the second half. MacPherson brought on Stephen McGinn with 20 minutes left but the midfielder was thwarted by a wall of Accies defenders.

Even after Cerny was sent off after racing from his area to bring Dargo down the Paisley side offered little.

Sub keeper Sean Murdoch came on for McCarthy but he was untroubled as the match petered out.

MacPherson revealed that keeper Chris Smith, who missed the game through a knee injury, could be set to go under the knife. He said: "It flared up again last week.

We will get a second opinion later in the week but he may need surgery.

Accies boss Billy Reid said: "If the referee has sent our keeper off for violent conduct then I understand that. But was it a goalscoring opportunity?

"He took it wide and Mark McLaughlin got back.

"But the referee called it that way and that's the way it goes. We have to accept it and move on."