preMierSHip
HAMILTON ACCIES 1
D’Acol (15) PARTICK THISTLE 1
Welsh (61)
PARTICK Thistle boss Alan Archibald blasted the match officials for costing his side victory.
Callum Booth’s 73rd-minute strike was ruled offside but the Jags gaffer was adamant it should have stood.
However, his players did do enough to win the game after they fought back through Sean Welsh’s 61st minute strike to level out Alex D’Acol’s opener in the 15th minute.
Both clubs moved up one place in the table, the most important being Thistle’s as they are now off bottom spot.
Archibald said: “I’ve watched it back and the goal should have been given. I thought the officials had a bad day. We should have won but at least we are off the bottom of the league.”
Hamilton took the lead in the 15th minute. Massimo Donati’s long, hopeful, ball ended up in the Thistle penalty box. Liam Lindsay appeared to have the situation under control but he was chased down by Alex D’Acol and that caused him to panic. D’Acol took possession of the ball and created an angle to stroke the ball home from nine yards out.
Thistle felt the goal shouldn’t have stood as there was a foul in the build-up. But referee Don Robertson waved play on.
D’Acol dedicated his goal to Brazilian side Chapecoense after the team was aiped out in a tragic air crash last week.
D’Acol said: “It is my home country and I hope God helps them find peace.”
The visitors dusted themselves down and should have been level at the interval.
Ade Adeez was clean through in the 38th minute and he opted to lob Gary Woods.
But it flew a yard over
the crossbar. Then, four minutes later, Kris Doolan’s header rebounded off the keeper’s right hand post.
The surge towards the home team’s goal continued in the second half.
Ryan Edwards forced Woods into a fine save.
They were rewarded in the 61st minute when Sean Welsh pounced.
There was hesitancy in the Accies defence and they should have cleared the ball. But they didn’t and Welsh took control and coolly placed a right foot shot past Woods from 12 yards.
There was a major let off for the Lanarkshire side when they were sloppy in possession at the edge of their own penalty box. Chris Erskine took the ball, drove it across the box and Callum Booth stroked it home. But it was ruled offside.