Not much in the way of games for Accies fans over the Christmas period, with the Boxing Day visit to Parkhead the only one to escape the weather. Dundee Utd was called off at the last minute due to a blizzard, St Mirren was called off due the approaches to the stadium being dangerous, although the pitch was perfect, while Motherwell was called off due to burst pipes in the stadium; ironically the Fir Park pitch was playable.
We inevitably suffered defeat at Celtic, having a controversial goal chalked off when the ball bounced up and hit Marco Paixao on the elbow allowing his brother Flavio to score. With the twin’s parents over from Portugal for their first visit to Scotland, to see the game, it would have been a great moment for them, but Stevie O’Reilly the referee blew for handball.
It was one of those where you call it according to your team. I thought it should have stood, but if it had happened at the other end, I’d have agreed with the ref.
Good news on the playing side, with Michel Antoine-Curier and Stuart Elliot signing on until the end of the season. Antoine-Curier, on loan from Dundee, has played the lone striker role brilliantly for Accies this season, holding the ball up, setting up chances and scoring five goals, so his signing is very welcome.
Elliot, the former Motherwell player and Northern Ireland international has been playing in England for Hull and Doncaster. He scored twice in a closed doors game at New Douglas Park on Saturday against Alloa, with Accies winning 4-0. As a goal-scoring winger he should fit in well to our 4-5-1 formation.
Our next game is in the Scottish Cup against Rangers. We’ve consistently lost to the Old Firm, since returning to the SPL, but have given them close games at home.
It wouldn’t surprise me to see us get a draw, just to add to the fixture congestion our three postponements have caused. If that were the case we’d play them three times in six days, with a midweek replay at Ibrox on the Wednesday and a home league game on the Saturday.
Hopefully the weather will relent and let us enjoy the upcoming games. January is going to be a tough month.
