Ace Imrie shares the limelight with saviour Matthews
DOUGIE IMRIE’S winner earned Hamilton only their second home league victory in 16 games but the contribution from goalkeeper Remi Matthews was also crucial.
The on-loan Norwich City star pulled off a stunning stop in the 73rd minute to deny Michael Gardyne giving County the lead.
And immediately after that crucial save, Accies raced up the pitch and Imrie’s strike proved decisive.
Overall, it was a thoroughly deserved victory for the home team against a Dingwall side who came into this fixture with back-to-back league wins.
The first 45 minutes was virtually a non-event, lacking quality and rhythm. That said, it still could have got off to an astonishing start with a goal inside 60 seconds, but County defender Andrew Davies’ header rebounded back off the crossbar.
Accies had enough possession in the final third but they dithered and failed to penetrate Scott Fox’s goal.
Thankfully, there was much more entertainment after the interval. And the attacking threat mostly came from the home team.
Massimo Donati pulled the strings in midfield and he had willing runners in Imrie, Darian MacKinnon and Greg Docherty.
Alex D’Acol and Docherty had efforts that troubled Fox and then Accies substitute Danny Redmond — a replacement for Gramoz Kurtaj — pounced on a short passback from Paul Quinn but his lob was just a yard wide.
Eamonn Brophy — another sub for the home team — then forced Fox into a stunning save.
It came as no surprise to see the deadlock broken in the 73rd minute.
Matthews pulled off that stunning stop when he flew to his right to claw away Gardyne’s header.
From there, Accies went up the park and got the ball into the penalty area. MacKinnon miskicked as he shot for goal but the ball fell kindly to Imrie, who managed to clip his lob over Fox and into the net.
‘It just fell to me and I lifted it over the keeper,’ said Imrie. ‘We got the goal and did everything right at the other end. Remi’s save was terrific. If County had scored then, they would have been in the driving seat.
‘Remi has been superb since he joined the club and pulled off great saves. From that point of view, he’s probably the matchwinner.
‘I know I scored our goal but who knows what might have happened if he hadn’t pulled off that save.’
County tried hard for an equaliser and the game became stretched.
But it was Accies who came close again and a powerful Brophy drive from 12 yards was just inches over Fox’s crossbar.
Donati almost scored an own goal in stoppage time when he deflected a cross just inches wide but it would have been an injustice had Accies not won this game.
Afterwards, manager Martin Canning said: ‘I thought we deserved to win. It’s important to pick up three points, especially at home, and great for our belief. We now need to kick on from this.
‘The players put everything into the game and it’s great to see guys such as Dougie being rewarded.
‘Greg and Darian were phenomenal and Massimo is a class act. He reads the game so well.’
Disappointed County boss Jim McIntyre — who is looking to add at least one more player before the transfer window closes on Wednesday night — said: ‘It was a scrappy game, short on quality. I can’t fault my players for effort but our decision-making let us down.’ HAMILTON (4-3-3): Matthews; Lyon, Sarris, Devlin, Gillespie; Donati, MacKinnon, Docherty (Seaborne 88); Imrie, D’Acol (Brophy 69), Kurtaj (Redmond 58). Subs (not used): Roy, Bingham, McMann, Woods. Booked: Redmond, Gillespie, Docherty, Lyon. ROSS COUNTY (4-4-2): Fox; Cikos, Davies, Quinn, McEveley; Franks (Dingwall 68), Routis (Chow 58), Woods, Gardyne; Curran (Schalk 54), Boyce Subs (not used): McShane, van der Weg, Morrison, McCarey. Booked: McEveley, Quinn. Referee: Greg Aitken. Attendance: 1,609.