St. Mirren 2 Hamilton Academical 1
Striker John Sutton was the hero as he struck late to ensure that S Mirren were the Bells Cup winners. But this was a real team effort in front of a near 10,000 crowd who set a record attendance for the Excelsior Stadium at Airdrie.
Indeed, kick off had to be delayed for half an hour to allow the 9614 crowd attend, but there was no doubting that it was the Paisley side who were intent on attack from the outset.
With just four minutes gone Kirk Broadfoot moved into attack on the left and his angled shot was heading goalwards until keeper Dave McEwan turned it around the far post. Next to threaten was midfielder Charlie Adams, on loan from Rangers, with a 20 yard free kick which was just a whisker away.
That gave Hamilton a fright and they burst into action with a fierce Pat Keogh shot which keeper Chris Smith did well to turn past his post.
But it was the Paisley sides supporters who were celebrating in 22 minutes when Simon Lappin put them ahead. First, Lappin hit the bar with a tremendous shot and as the ball was returned to him he deftly left footed it low into the next from just inside the six yard area.
Although Saints continued to look the more dangerous side they could not add to that lead before the interval and two minutes into the second half it was Hamilton fans turn to rejoice as their favourites hit back to equalise.
Brian Carrigan, who had come on just before the interval, saw his shot blocked by keeper Smith but Scott Tunbridge was waiting to pounce and he turned the loose ball into the net.
After that Hamilton had a period when they looked dangerous and threatened to get hold of the game and Carrigan was just wide from a superb Pat Keogh cross which if it had gone in would surely have given them the advantage for the final minutes.
But it was Saints who pounced for the winner - and the trophy -with just nine minutes left when a perfect David Van Zanten cross was met by the rising John Sutton who headed powerfully into the net.
St. Mirren F.C.
Smith, Van Zanten, Broadfoot, Millen (Reilly 77) McGowne, Potter, Murray, Adam (Mehmet 70) Kean, Sutton, Lappin
Substitutes not used - Corcoran, Reid, Hinchcliffe
Hamilton Academical F.C.
McEwan, Balmer (Robertson 83) Fleming, Thomson, McLaughlin, Neil, Tunbridge, Wilson, Jones (Carrigan 38) MacKenzie, Keogh (Gilhaney 79)
Substitutes not used - Ferguson, Jellema
Referee - Stuart Dougal.
Attendance - 9,612.
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