McCann: We will turn corner after slump to bottom
DEFIANT Dundee manager Neil McCann vowed not to capitulate after watching his side slump to the foot of the table as ten-man Hamilton inflicted a fourth straight defeat on the toiling Taysiders.
McCann was powerless to prevent this latest setback which even saw their opponents spend the last 15 minutes without midfielder Massimo Donati, who was stupidly ordered off for a second booking.
The Dark Blues’ woes began when they fell behind to Ioannis Skondras’ 39th-minute header before David Templeton made it 2-0 in 64 minutes.
AJ Leitch-Smith’s 67th-minute penalty gave McCann’s men some hope of a comeback until Hamilton sub Antonio Raul Rojano killed the game off five minutes from time.
Former Sky television pundit McCann said he knows the severity of the situation and reiterated his commitment towards turning things round.
‘I’m aware of the league table,’ he said. ‘My previous job made me aware of things going around and I’m not ignorant to that fact.
‘I don’t like being down at the bottom of the table.
‘I’m trying to change things here, so that we’re not looking down in that direction.
‘All the other teams who have started to come above us now have been through a difficult period and we’re experiencing one now.
‘And the only way to get out of it is to get the boys to be brave and still believe in what we’re doing.
‘This is when you need to use a lot of your man-management skills to gather the boys and make sure they become stronger characters.
‘I’m not going to roll over. We’ll get back to work to try and become harder to beat.
‘We’ve got a young group and this is when they become men when it’s difficult at times.’
Hamilton took the lead in quite simple fashion in 39 minutes.
Dougie Imrie’s whipped cross eluded the entire home defence as Skondras arrived on a late run and the 27-year-old Greek right-back planted a header across Scott Bain for the opener.
Accies went further ahead in 64 minutes. Templeton cleverly peeled off at the far post to thrash Imrie’s free-kick low beyond Bain and into the corner of the net.
Dundee did hit back three minutes later.
Skondras was penalised for hand-ball as Leitch-Smith tried to go round him, and up stepped the English striker to blast the resultant effort past Accies keeper Gary Woods.
Then, in 75 minutes, Donati was sent-off for a second caution as he lashed the ball away in frustration to leave his team-mates under the cosh, only for the spirited visitors to seal victory in 85 minutes.
Greg Docherty picked up possession and crossed for substitute Rojano, who had the simple task of tapping in to the empty net from a yard out.
Hamilton boss Martin Canning said: ‘It’s never easy coming up to Dens Park, so we’re absolutely delighted to get a victory.
‘Our most experienced player, Massimo, has made a naïve mistake which could have cost us.
‘It’s a moment of madness. He should know better despite being frustrated.
‘I’ve told Massimo in front of the rest of the boys that he owes them all a beer!’