Cove Rangers boss Jim McIntyre was pleased his side’s determination in attack was rewarded with a 2-0 win over Hamilton Accies.
It was a close first half, with Accies’ Andrew Ryan hitting the post in the opening 10 minutes of the Championship clash, before Cove grew into the game, with their best early chance a Fraser Fyvie header.
The home side were then the better of the two sides in the second half and created numerous chances for an opener, but just couldn’t find the back of the net.
That was until substitute Leighton McIntosh scored two rapid-fire goals – netting with his first touch in the 82nd minute, and claiming his second four minutes later to seal three valuable points.
The Cove boss believes his side showed how dangerous they could be in attack against Accies, and was glad to see their never-say-die approach finally pay off with a victory.
McIntyre said: “I thought the boys were excellent. It was a really tough game. Hamilton played with a lot of energy themselves and had a great chance to take the lead when they hit the bar in the first-half.
“I don’t know many crosses we put in the box – it certainly must have been 25, 30 crosses. We’re a real threat when we play like that, and should’ve had a wee bit more from the entries into the box.
“For one reason or another, us not getting on the end of it and some good defending, we couldn’t seem to get the ball into the back of the net.
“We just kept telling the boys to keep playing, to keep doing what they were doing and doing the right things – trying to move and pass the ball.
“It’s great that we managed to stick at it and the fruition comes with another great ball into the box from Jamie Masson, who I thought was exceptional when he came on, and I’m pleased for Leighton, too.
“I’m just pleased for the boys and they can go and enjoy their Christmas now, and we’ll get them back in for training on Tuesday.”
Cove step it up a gear in second-half against Accies
Cove had a number of chances in the second-half with the standouts being Fyvie failing to connect with a Megginson cross, while Gerry McDonagh saw his header bounce round the wrong side of the post.
At the other end, Stuart McKenzie kept Cove in the game with vital saves to deny Ryan and Lewis Smith, with the former also missing an open goal after rounding the keeper and hitting the side netting.
It was substitute McIntosh who won the game for Cove, though, as he flicked on Masson’s corner with a light touch, before doubling the home side’s lead with a long-range strike in the 86th minute.
The Cove boss said of McIntosh’s second goal: “He’s shown a bit of composure because it was on to hit it, and he thought: ‘no I’m going to take another touch’ – and then scores a really great goal.”
The win over Hamilton takes Cove within two points of Inverness Caley Thistle, who were beaten 5-1 by Partick Thistle on Friday night, ahead of their clash on January 2.
McIntyre admits Friday’s win against Accies was “big”, but says his side will be starting with fresh targets and ambitions when they return in 2023.
He said: “It’s only a big win because it’s the end of the nine-game quarter and I wanted to make sure that we hit our points tally again – and we did.
“That’s why the boys deserve so much credit, but we’re back to game one against Caley Thistle and that’s where it all starts again.
“We’re not getting ahead of ourselves, because we know how difficult the Championship is.”
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