Simon Mensing maintained his recent scoring record to give Hamilton a fourth straight league win - but he knows that the side cannot afford to relax as they still have work to do to stay up. The midfielder scored early in each half to ensure Hamilton ran out 2-0 winners against Hearts, first from a training-ground corner play and then with his third penalty in four games. This was the first time Hamilton have won over Hearts since 1979-80 - that is over 20 games - and was the final touch to a perfect month of January for the New Douglas Park outfit. The side have won all five of their games without conceding a goal, and notched up four successive top-flight triumphs for the first time since the Second World War.
Accies are now up to eighth in the table and are separated only on goal difference from seventh-placed Motherwell, who they face in the Lanarkshire derby on Valentine's Day - but Mensing said: "We certainly aren't getting carried away. Our confidence is sky-high at the moment, but as much as we're currently climbing the table, we're still just taking each game as it comes, trying our hardest and plugging away to see where it gets us. This was an excellent win - on a personal note, scoring goals is excellent and it's something I've wanted to add to my game, but the main thing was to get the three points. Brian Easton put in a great ball for the opening goal; I just managed to get a glance on it and was delighted to see it hit the back of the net. It was still hard when Hearts were only a goal down, but the second goal then gave us a good cushion to beat them. The boys at the back have been excellent throughout this run and the whole team has been solid as a unit, and hopefully that will continue."
Mensing's brace took the former defender's scoring tally to four in four games, thanks largely to him stepping up as primary choice for penalties since Tony Stevenson's left on loan to Clyde. The Englishman's goal tally could have been even one goal higher had he managed to claim the only goal of Hamilton's win at Kilmarnock last weekend, struck and officially credited to striker Richard Offiong. Mensing said: "I tried my hardest to get out of the way of it last week but it clearly hit me (on its way in) so I'm still saying it's five in four! I've scored a few penalties recently, and obviously I'm confident or I wouldn't be stepping up for them, but I'm more than happy to be in charge of that because they're something I look forward to taking."
Stand-in Hearts captain Robbie Neilson was not pleased to have been adjudged to have fouled James McCarthy five minutes into the second half which resulted in Mensing's second goal. He was under the watchful eye of club owner Vladimir Romanov for the first time in 14 months. The extra spectator did not worry Neilson, he was more concerned about the absence of captain Christophe Berra, who was in England to discuss the details of a move to Championship side Wolves.
Neilson said: "I was disappointed in the decision as I thought it wasn't a penalty, I thought it was outside the box. I had a wee tug to try to get myself back in and he was falling into me; my weight was holding him up and as soon as I moved out of the way to try and get the ball, he went down. Hamilton were very difficult to break down. We had a couple of chances in the first half and didn't take them and it was difficult after going 2-0 behind. Being without Christophe did affect the team because he's been magnificent this season and last - he's massive in defence and was an ever-present, but that's football, especially in the SPL. It's about money these days and if somebody comes in with the right offer then players have to move on, but I'm delighted for Christophe as it's a good move and a big club. He wants to further his career and going down south is probably the way he's going to do it, and hopefully he can get promotion and play in the Premier League." | Editor
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