‘Emotions got to me’, says Imrie
GIVEN the way tireless 1 0 - man Hamilton pressed and pressed for an equaliser, it would have been no surprise had their players collapsed to the ground with relief when t heir equaliser f i nally arrived.
However, after Dougie Imrie scored with t hree minutes remaining, he ran — and then kept running. Overcome with emotion, the Accies man sprinted down the pitch towards the Dundee dugout.
It’s safe to say those on the visitors’ bench were not happy with his celebration right in front of them. Paul Hartley’s No 2 Gerry McCabe was particularly incensed and the Dens boss remarked afterwards, perhaps only half in jest, that he had to hold his assistant back.
If Dundee were frustrated then you could hardly blame them.
After taking the lead early in the second half with Kevin Holt’s l ong- range deflected shot, it seemed certain the three points would be heading back to Tayside after Hamilton’s Darian MacKinnon was shown a straight red card by Willie Collum for a high tackle on Thomas Konrad.
I nstead, Hartley c l ai med afterwards that his team had been ‘spooked by the dismissal’.
But this Accies side under Martin Canning never know when to give up and Imrie’s leveller was deserved.
He couldn’t hide his delight afterwards but was quick to stress there was no harm meant with his celebration.
‘I enjoy scoring any goal,’ said the ex-Inverness, St Mirren and Morton striker. ‘Obviously, my emotions got the better of me. I have to apologise, but there was no malice. Emotions were running high but I am j ust delighted to score the equaliser.’
Asked if he had history with McCabe, Imrie said: ‘No, I didn’t say anything. It was just emotion. The celebration got the better of me. I’ll not do that again, right enough.
‘It was an enjoyable game. Two teams going at it and playing really well.
‘I’m just delighted given we had to play the vast majority of the second half with 10 men and we came back and managed to get a point.’
The finishing in the first half left much to be desired. After only three minutes, Accies’ German midfielder Gramoz Kurtaj met Ali Crawford’s free-kick but was denied by keeper Scott Bain’s point-blank save.
Rhys Healey then fired wide for Dundee before Hamilton were dealt a blow when they l ost Crawford to a groin strain.
Kurtaj wasted a great chance when he curled an effort from the edge of the box over the bar.
The f i rst goal arrived two minutes after the restart when Holt’s 30- yard effort took a deflection and flew past helpless Accies No 1 Michael McGovern.
Then came the flashpoint when MacKinnon floored Konrad with a high tackle after the Dundee defender had committed a foul. Collum wasted no time showing the red card.
But Accies kept fighting and were l eft f rustrated by two disallowed goals, while Dundee suffered their own injury woes when Julen Etxabeguren was stretchered off with an ankle injury 15 minutes from the end.
Imrie, however, sent the home crowd wild when he met Ziggy Gordon’s cross from the right to bag the equaliser late on.
Dundee’s Konrad, victim of MacKinnon’s wild challenge, said: ‘It is disappointing (not to win), especially after the red card.
‘We must do better and we are not really happy with the draw, although it is one of the hardest away games in the season, so one point is good in that respect. HAMILTON (4-2-3-1): McGovern 6; Gordon 6, Garcia Tena 7, Tagliapietra 6, Kurakins 6; Gillespie 6, MacKinnon 4; Imrie 7 (Docherty 89), Crawford 4 (Longridge 24), Kurtaj 5; Morris 6 (Nade 78). Subs not used: Martin, Turner, Canning, D’Acol. Booked: Imrie. Sent off: MacKinnon. DUNDEE (3-5-2): Bain 6; McGinn 6, Etxabeguren 6 (Meggatt 75), Konrad 6; Holt 6, Ross 6, Harkins 5, Stewart 6, Healey 6 (Gadzhalov 81); Calder 5 (Low 62), Loy 6. Subs not used: Mitchell, Skelly, Irvine, Curran. Booked: Etxabeguren. Referee: Willie Collum. Attendance: 2,862. Man of the match: Jesus Garcia Tena.