Canning’s charges finally turn it on to claim fighting chance
THERE is life in the ailing patient yet. Hamilton Accies still have a bit to do if they are to preserve their Premiership status, but this clinical, one-sided thrashing of Dundee at least removed the possibility of them sinking to the foot of the table on the final day of the regular season and being relegated automatically.
Accies now need to beat the other team from that city over a two-legged play-off to finally banish the threat of the drop back into the Championship. Having earned their own promotion three years ago by the same method, famously beating Hibernian via a penalty shoot-out, they will be aware of how perilous that mission against Dundee United could prove to be.
There will undoubtedly be more drama and tension packed into those two games – the first at Tannadice on Thursday, the return at the SuperSeal Stadium on Sunday – than there was yesterday.
Hamilton had gone into the match in the most wretched of form having lost their previous four matches, and a fifth defeat on the spin would have opened the door for Inverness Caledonian Thistle, who had crept to within a point at the bottom.
Any optimism in the Highlands, however, would have quickly evaporated when word drifted through that Hamilton had moved into a two-goal lead midway through the first half. Dundee, with nothing to play for, showed little appetite to mount a comeback and Hamilton simply coasted through to the end, adding two goals for good measure.
What could have been a nervy, anxious afternoon awaiting updates from Inverness instead turned into Hamilton’s biggest – and most comfortable – win of the season. They will not get it as easy against a United side in high spirits following their play-off win over Falkirk, but Hamilton will take comfort from the strength of this performance.
Among those who caught the eye
were David Templeton on his first start for Hamilton since signing a short-term deal. The winger has been burdened by injury in recent years, but his talent has never been in question. He was unfortunate not to score in the first half after a mazy, jinking run, while an exquisite double drag-back carried him past two discombobulated Dundee defenders and into the box where he was brought down for a penalty. Dougie Imrie gleefully rammed it home.
In truth, the outcome was all but settled after 25 minutes when Hamilton scored their second goal in the space of a minute following an opening spell of little consequence beyond a Paul McGowan shot for Dundee that was saved. The first goal stemmed from an Ali Crawford corner, nodded on by Mikey Devlin who thundered into goalkeeper Scott Bain.
It was a meaty challenge but deemed a fair one and Rakish Bingham lashed the loose ball over the line. Devlin sustained a knee injury later in the first half and will now undergo a scan to determine his availability for the play-offs.
There was nothing contentious about Hamilton’s second goal barely 60 seconds later. The angle looked unfavourable for Ioannis Skondras as the ball drifted over to him at the far corner of the Dundee box, but he caught his half-volley perfectly and it thudded into the net via the underside of the crossbar.
Dundee had little response and, 20 minutes after Imrie’s penalty, Hamilton scored their fourth. Danny Redmond was the creator, teeing up Crawford who had time to take a touch before sending his shot beyond Bain.
“We deserved the win,” said the goalscorer. “We had been unlucky in midweek, but we played the same way today and finally took some chances.
“Throughout the season when we’ve gone a goal up, we’ve not scored the second or the third to kill the game. We did today and that was pleasing.”
Dundee’s race this season is now run. They will now wait to see whether the lure of leading them again next season proves more enticing for interim manager Neil McCann than a return to the Sky TV studios.
McCann would not be drawn one way or the other but did not spare his players following such a heavy loss.
“I am embarrassed to be part of that because I am a part of it,” he said. “It doesn’t sit well with me. I have heard loads of people saying “well done” for keeping Dundee up. It is great to come back and keep the club in the Premiership but I didn’t enjoy any of the last two games and certainly not that today.”
When we’ve gone a goal up, we’ve not scored the second or third to kill the game. We did today