EXTRA TIME AGONY FOR BATTLING QUEENS

Last updated : 18 January 2006 By Duke of Galloway
An extra time goal from Spanish substitute Rudy Torres was enough to earn Hamilton a fourth round meeting with Alloa.

Queens, buoyed by a travelling vocal support of around 700 which included a drummer supported by a trumpet and trombone player, began positively and spent much of the opening period camped in the Accies' half.

A Tommy English free-kick flew narrowly over from 20 yards off Hamilton goalkeeper Raymond Jellema in the 13th minute.

Moments later, another English free-kick was spilled by the keeper as he rose to clutch a cross, but John O'Neill, lurking at the far post prodded just wide from a few yards out.

Hamilton's first sight of goal came on 29 minutes when Aussie midfielder Scott Tunbridge saw his powerful half-volley from the edge of the box beaten away by Queens keeper Richard Barnard.

Queens almost made the breakthrough four minutes after the break but Steve Bowey's angled strike from inside the box was palmed behind for a corner by Jellema.

The visitors continued to look the more dangerous side but it was the hosts who went close on the hour mark when Brown Ferguson forced a close-range effort just wide from a Derek Fleming cross.

The home side threatened again with Tunbridge heading over after being picked out by another Fleming delivery.

With neither side able to conjure up a winner the match went into extra time.

Ironically, the Spaniard Torres required less than a minute of extra time to make the breakthrough when he rose to power home a header from Ferguson's cross.

Duke's verdict - A battling performance by Queens and manager McCall must have been pleased as everyone gave him 100% but alas it was not to be and a simple error by English was enough to let Accies in for their victory.

Man of the match - Lovell who had a tremendous game but Bowey wasn't far behind as the wee man put in a great shift.

Accies under pressure in first half

Duncan sporting some unusual headgear