Franks rubberstamps bottom two finish

Fivegoal thriller ends in heartache for Lanarkshire men

A stoppage-time winner from Jonathan Franks condemned Hamilton to a bottom-two finish as Ross County moved up to seventh place with a 3-2 win in an action-packed clash at Global Energy Stadium.

Accies fought back twice to level after County had taken the early initiative, but a superb volley from Franks deep in stoppage time secured the points.

County took the lead after just three minutes when Christopher Routis’ short corner led to Michael Gardyne cutting inside and curling a shot into the far top corner of the net.

It was mostly County but Accies threatened in the 10th minute when Ali Crawford tried to pick out Dougie Imrie in the box but Tim Chow made a timely tackle to concede a corner kick.

The visitors got a goal out of nothing in the 26th minute when a Crawford free-kick was knocked down in a crowded box and Rakish Bingham blasted home from six yards.

Accies almost took the lead in the 34th minute when Bingham fired against the inside of the post after Scott Fox had parried a Crawford shot after a spell of pressure from the visitors.

The County goal got another let-off a couple of minutes from the break when a Crawford free-kick rebounded off the other post before being cleared.

Early in the second half, Reghan Tumilty broke into the Accies box but his angled drive was kept out by Matthews.

At the other end Ioannis Skondras tried his luck from range but Fox got down well to smother the effort.

County who restored their lead in the 73rd minute when Jim O’Brien lashed the ball into the net off the post.

Accies refused to lie down, though, and David Templeton cut inside and drilled a low shot past Fox from an angle for the equaliser.

However, County grabbed a dramatic winner when Franks volleyed home to make sure Dundee and Motherwell will play in the Premiership next season.

Picture: SNS. Ross County’s Jonathan Franks celebrates his late winner.