Kid Steven is my blue eyed Boyd
Boss Canning hails Accies prospect
Martin Canning hailed Steven Boyd after the youngster’s stunning strike helped Accies to a thumping first league win of the season.
The Hamilton boss was delighted with the superb showing with Darian MacKinnon, Boyd and a Dougie Imrie penalty sealing an impressive win.
But it was the 20- year- old striker’s first league goal, which made it 2- 0, that was the pick of the bunch and left Canning purring over his potential.
He said: “Last season we struggled to get that second goal to make it more comfortable but Steven got that goal for us today which made all the difference.
“It was a great finish, he’s been magic in pre-season and the first few games.
“His goal was a bit of quality and that’s what he’s got. He does it every day in training. “I’ve watched him for the Under-20s for the past few years, he sees things others don’t. He has a low centre of gravity with great feet and vision. He’s a really exciting prospect.
“I keep tel l ing him to go out and enjoy it. At his age, you don’t feel pressure. “If he can continue that then he’s a great addition to the squad. He went out on loan last season and now we have him back playing and it’s great.”
Dens boss Neil McCann had spoken about the need for the Dark Blues to avenge the 4-0 hammering suffered on the final day of the last campaign.
But it was Accies who could have taken the lead inside two minutes when Ioannis Skondras crossed for Ali Crawford who flicked the ball on and Boyd volleyed over the top.
Dundee’s response was instant and Scott Allan ran clean through on goal but decided to square to Marcus Haber instead of shooting.
The ball then broke back to the on-loan Celt, who fired an attempt off Gary Woods’ body.
Dee’s midweek goalscoring hero Faissal El Bakhtaoui was guilty of missing three sitters after Cammy Kerr played him in.
First, he shot straight at Woods from 10 yards out before then slamming the rebound off the post and finally firing wildly over with the goal at his mercy.
Accies broke the deadlock in 25 minutes when Crawford’s corner was headed on by Greg Docherty for MacKinnon to cushion a volley past Scott Bain.
Dundee suffered a blow when Wolters limped off to be replaced by Danny Williams on 32 minutes.
Accies made it two in 36 minutes when Boyd took a sublime first touch from MacKinnon’s long ball and dinked a lovely lob over Bain who had stayed off his line.
Skondras then had a netbound volley that was hacked away.
Dundee were thrown a massive lifeline in 77 minutes when Scott McMann fouled Williams in the box but Allan tried to be too clever and scooped a woeful penalty wide.
Moments later, Haber he couldn’t get enough purchase on his sidefooted effort right in front of goal
It was sealed when Accies were awarded a spot-kick of their own in 84 minutes, Kevin Holt fouling sub David Templeton and Imrie tucking away from 12 yards.