MATCH STATS
HAMILTON staged an incredible comeback from being three goals down to snatch a point with a last-gasp equaliser in an eight-goal thriller.
Accies head coach John Rankin said: “I never enjoyed it one bit. For 55 minutes that wasn’t our team. For the last 35 it was the desire and energy that we demand every day. The spirit and character to a man was incredible.
“They took responsibility. The first half they played as a bunch of individuals, the second half they played as Hamilton Accies.
“The fans will back if you if you get stuck in and they got behind us when we were struggling.”
Accies went behind after 10 minutes. Charlie Gilmour swung over a corner from the left. The ball wasn’t properly cleared and Connor Scully chipped the ball back for Mark Reynolds to send a looping header into the net.
Cove went two up from the penalty spot in 43 minutes when Miko Virtanen handled a cross from Scully. Mitch Megginson stepped up to score.
Accies responded and pulled a goal back 60 seconds later when Andy Winter clipped a Smith cutback from the right low into the far corner past Kyle Gourlay.
Cove thought they were on the way to their first league win on the road this season when they restored their two-goal advantage two minutes after the restart. Scully laid a first-time pass into the path of Megginson to tap in from close range for his 200th goal for the club.
Cove added a fourth in 52 minutes when Max Johnston drilled in a low cross from the right for Gerry McDonagh to turn a clever back heel into the net.
Then the Accies comeback began. In 53 minutes Andy Ryan scored with a close-range header and they netted again in 63 minutes when Steve Lawson fired home from the spot after Reynolds felled Winter.
Accies levelled in 89 minutes when goalkeeper Gourlay held on to the ball too long and referee Chris Graham gave an indirect free-kick on the edge of the area. Lawson slid the ball to Ryan and the striker’s shot took a wicked deflection off substitute Jamie Masson and squirmed into the net.
Cove Rangers assistant Jimmy Boyle, in charge in the absence of Covid-stricken boss Jim McIntyre, said: “We made a lot of poor decisions. I’m not going to blame the referee. We made our own problems. We should have seen the game out”