Supporters see red as dominant Accies falter at the finish
This match began with the fastest Premiership goal of the season and ended with a red card deep into stoppage time. Neither management team was happy with the outcome and Hamilton, despite an impressive secondhalf performance, were jeered off the pitch at half-time and full-time.
In truth, the home side probably deserved to take all three points. However, dozy defending with just two minutes remaining proved to be their undoing.
Manager Brian Rice certainly cut a frustrated figure afterwards. “I thought we deserved more from the match, full-stop, not just from the second half,” he said. “We had a poor start when we conceded a goal we never concede from the kick-off. That’s something we practise all the time and we’ve lost a goal we never ever do.
“So that was disappointing but from then on in it was total domination until the last five or six minutes when County need to chase the game.
“I don’t think you’ve ever done enough in football until that final whistle blows. We had enough possession and chances to see it through.”
The last thing a Hamilton side low on confidence needed was to lose an early goal but there were still people coming into the ground when the Highlanders took the lead 36 seconds after Accies had kicked off.
The home defence operated like training ground cut-outs as County gained possession and bore in on Owain Fon Williams’ goal. Lee Erwin fired in a low drive from 15 yards which the goalkeeper fumbled straight back out to the lurking Billy Mckay. The Irishman, untroubled by opponents, was left with a simple task to poke home the rebound.
That Accies were deflated by the early setback was understandable but it’s harder to fathom why County didn’t take more of a boost from breaking the deadlock. Instead, they allowed their rivals to find a way back into the game.
Hamilton full-back Scott Mcmann was booked for diving in an attempt to win a penalty and, at the other end, Ross Stewart looked unfortunate not to be awarded one when he went down after a challenge from Alex Gogic.
Unfortunately for the wide man, he squandered the opportunity to claim his ninth goal of the campaign in the 40th minute. Sent clear by Erwin, he drew the keeper from his line but then failed to hit the target from 12 yards.
As so often, that missed chance came back to bite the Staggies.
Accies brought on Steve Davies for Ross Cunningham at the break and he added much-needed muscle to the home side’s attacks.
He also sent a free-kick from 20 yards narrowly wide after Michael Gardyne had been booked for taking out Lewis Smith.
Smith had the last laugh, though. Released by Scott Martin, he bamboozled Richard Foster before cutting inside to lash the ball high behind Ross Laidlaw for his third goal of the campaign.
Accies – and Smith – weren’t finished yet. The 19-year-old found George Oakley, who had also been cautioned earlier for diving, 20 yards out and the big man swivelled to fire a low drive inside Laidlaw’s right-hand post.
They appeared to be coasting to victory but, with only two minutes remaining, the Highlanders broke away. Gardyne outpaced Gogic down the left flank and, from the wide man’s cutback, substitute Brian Graham’s emphatic finish left Fon Williams helpless.
As both sides scrapped for a winner in injury time, Martin pulled down Stewart and, in the argument that followed, the Accies man appeared to butt Josh Mullin. A straight red card followed.