Hamilton Accies 2 - 1 Dumbarton: May bags Accies win

ACCIES produced a dramatic late comeback to claim a crucial win in their battle to beat the drop.

Scorers: Hamilton Accies: May (79, 85); Dumbarton: Lister (14)

Referee: C Charleston.  Attendance: 755

Dumbarton had appeared to be heading for the points after Jim Lister’s early goal. However, Hamilton were rewarded for a relentless second-half display.

Dumbarton went ahead when Kevin Cuthbert was caught in no-man’s land as Scott Agnew floated a free-kick into the box and Jim Lister’s looping header sailed into the unguarded net.

Moments before the interval, Agnew blew a chance to increase the lead when he fired over from point-blank range. However, he was a saviour on the restart when he blocked Darian MacKinnon’s close-range shot. Then Stevie May’s bicycle kick drifted wide as Accies rallied, before Cuthbert made a vital block on Bryan Prunty’s header.

Sons’ Stephen Grindlay did just as well to deny Jon McShane as Accies pressed. They levelled when May raced through to loft the ball over the out-rushing keeper before the striker notched a controversial winner – his shot ruled to have crossed the line despite furious protests from the Dumbarton players.

Hamilton: Cuthbert, Finnie (Longridge 62), Gordon, Canning, Page (Devlin 55), Routledge, Ryan (McShane 62), MacKinnon, May, Gillespie, Crawford. Subs: Hendrie, Christie.

Dumbarton: Grindlay, McGinn (Lithgow 10), Creaney, Graham, Smith, Turner, Gilhaney, Agnew, Lister, Prunty (Asghar 89), McDougall (Ronald 46). Subs: Lamont, Lumsden.