Steelmen share spoils with 10man Accies

Hamilton midfielder Darian MacKinnon was sent off for aiming a rude gesture at the crowd during the 0-0 draw with Hamilton last night.

MacKinnon was targeted by a home fan in the 74th minute and reacted negatively, flicking a one-fingered salute that referee Kevin Clancy saw as a red-card offence.

Motherwell had the better of the early exchanges and should have taken the lead after six minutes through Ryan Bowman. Scott McDonald’s flick-on from a corner fell to the feet of the Englishman, but he wastefully lashed wide from the edge of the six-yard box.

Hamilton toiled for large spells of the first half under the Fir Park lights and looked a team devoid of any ideas in their fight for Ladbrokes Premiership survival.

They almost took the lead midway through the first half with their first meaningful attack of the game. MacKinnon’s halfvolley forced Craig Samson into a smart save, tipping the ball round the post.

The chance sparked Accies into life and they started to look threatening on the counter-attack. Alex D’Acol struck the outside of the post with a 25-yard effort.

Then came the moment of controversy which could prove pivotal in the race for survival.

The home side thought they had taken the lead when Heneghan’s header from a corner looked to have crossed the white line before being cleared by D’Acol. However assistant referee Willie Conquer, who was in line with play, adjudged that the whole ball was not over.

Chances were few and far between in the second half, with both sides not committing too many men forward in fear of losing the match.

Elliott Frear went closest for the Steelmen, with his volley just wide of Remi Matthew’s left-hand post.

MacKinnon then took centre stage, with his response to the Motherwell crowd’s chiding, meaning Accies had to battle through the closing stages a man down. Attendance: 4,644. Motherwell: Samson, McHugh,Heneghan, Hammell, Cadden, Clay (Lasley 55), Pearson, Frear (Ainsworth 72), McDonald, Bowman, Blyth (Gordon 63).Subs not used: Griffiths, Jules, Ferguson, Campbell.

Hamilton: Matthews, Skondras, Devlin, Sarris, McMann, MacKinnon, Imrie (Gogic 84), Docherty, Crawford (Donati 77), D’Acol, Bingham (Redmond 62). Subs not used: Jamieson, Brophy, Boyd, Adams.

Referee: Kevin Clancy.