Dougie delighted to dig out results

DOUGIE IMRIE has urged his Hamilton team-mates to take heart from earning another precious point with 10 men, rather than focusing on decisions going against them.

Accies took an early lead against Ross County on Saturday, only to see the visitors come back to earn a draw following the controversial dismissal of Ioannis Skondras shortly before half-time.

Hamilton boss Martin Canning and his Staggies counterpart Jim McIntyre agreed after the game that ref Steven McLean got the decision wrong, just four days after Darian Mackinnon saw red for gesturing at Motherwell fans in the Lanarkshire derby.

Although admitting his frustration, Imrie was quick to point out that his team-mates can be proud of taking two points from those games to help them leapfrog the Steelmen into 10th place as the basement battle intensifies.

“The decisions went against us but we just pick ourselves up,” he said. “We dug in. Two games in a row we’ve been down to 10 men and the effort the boys have put in is magnificent.

“That’s what we’ve got to do from now until the end of the season to get us to safety.

“Five points in the last three games is a good return for us.

“If we could’ve got seven it would’ve been even better. But three games undefeated going into this last period of the season is encouraging and we’ve just got to keep it going.”

Accies haven’t lost at home since a 3-0 reverse to champions Celtic on Christmas Eve and now have the chance to move ahead of Dundee next Saturday in the final game before the split.

And Imre, 33, is confident the battling qualities his side have displayed give them a good chance of avoiding the drop.

“Dundee will be another massive game,” he said. “They’re in the same predicament as us, as are all the teams round about us.

“If we keep battling away I’m sure we’ll stay in the league.”