SPL new boys beat the drop

0 Comments | Sunday Mirror, May 17, 2009 | by NICK McFARLANE

HAMILTON 0 MOTHERWELL 3 Clarkson 22, Sheridan 58, Sutton 86

BILLY REID hailed the achievement of his Accies as they retained their place in the SPL despite this thrashing.

Results elsewhere mean the New Douglas Park outfit, promoted a year ago, will not be involved in next weekend's final-day relegation deciders.

And that makes Reid's side the first Accies outfit ever to secure a second consecutive season of top-flight football.

The boss said: "I know how much that it means to everybody at the club and the work that's gone into it.

"Over the season, I think we've deserved to stay in the league and we've brought something to it. We've come in as a young squad with no SPL experience, a manager with no SPL experience, and we've had our highs and lows but the boys have given everything.

"We're trying to get the disappointment of this result out of the way but if we'd won 3-0 it wouldn't really matter, because the objective was to remain in the league and be the first Accies side to do that." Motherwell secured a comfortable win thanks to goals from David Clarkson (inset), Cillian Sheridan and sub John Sutton.

Delighted boss Mark McGhee said: "What I hoped from these bottomsix games was that we went about our business in a professional, honest and determined way, and I was delighted with today.

"Cillian Sheridan played as a single striker. That's not a way we normally play and at times he was isolated but he still ran the channels and held the ball up, scored a brilliant goal and put the ball on a plate for John Sutton - who is now arguably the best finisher at the club.

"We'll be investigating what Gordon Strachan's plans are for Cillian, and I certainly would be more than happy to keep him here a bit longer if Celtic allow us to do that."