Hakeen the hero views victory as a spur for Hamilton

Hamilton Accies goal hero Hakeen Odoffin admitted his relief at going from zero to hero after netting the only goal of the Lanarkshire derby.

The 22-year-old fullback gave Accies their first win of the season to lift them off the foot of the table with an 86th minute winner. Odoffin had scorned an opportunity from a yard out as the goal gaped immediately prior to his winner, but he was more concerned with the one that hit the back of the net.

“I should have scored the first one,” he said. “It is as simple as that, but I got a goal at the end of the day, so that’s the main thing.

“To be honest, I couldn’t tell you what I did at that first chance. I think I went with my left, but it didn’t go in. I scored in the end, so I am happy. “We felt the goal coming. We were getting chance after chance and felt we’d get something if we just got on the end of the crosses.

“The subs who came on did brilliantly. It is a squad game and everyone has to be ready – and I feel there was a momentum shift when we made those changes. “It was hard-fought win. The boys put in a shift and getting a clean sheet is massive for us.” And Odoffin believes that the result can be the catalyst now to get Accies going.

“That sets the foundations,” he said. “I feel this squad is very well equipped and we need to bring that intensity every single game.” Meanwhile, Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson lamented the lack of a killer instinct in front of goal after his side dominated for an hour without seeing anything in return.

“We must have had 70% possession – that’s Rangers and Celtic stuff – and I don’t know how many balls across the six-yard box,” he said. “On paper we look like a real threat up front. But paper doesn’t win you football matches.” “They are boys who go in to their shell when they get criticised. We don’t have a magic wand – or a magic cheque book to change the personnel. “We have a decent squad but people are under performing. “This was a game we completely dominated yet they had a side who were willing to put bodies on the line. When it came for us to do the same, we didn’t do it.”

The Fir Park side have their Europa League qualifier against Glentoran this Thursday, a game they go into without having won a league game so far this term.

“Is it a concern for Thursday? That’s stating the obvious,” said Robinson.

Hamilton’s Odoffin and Mimnaugh celebrate