Hamilton Accies 5 - 0 Airdrie United: Airdrie demolished

STEVIE May virtually guaranteed Hamilton’s First Division safety with an impressive hat-trick as they sent their North Lanarkshire neighbours plunging closer towards the relegation trap door.

Scorers: Hamilton Accies May (9 pen, 37, 75), McShane (22), Brophy (87)

The on-loan St Johnstone striker took his tally to 19 for the season with his treble which blitzed a poor Airdrie side who were also reeling from Jon McShane’s earlier first half effort as the Accies racked up their third consecutive win and a second under interim manager Alex Neil.

A debut goal from youngster Eamonn Brophy put the icing on the cake late on.

Accies made the breakthrough after Steve Hetherington sent Grant Gillespie tumbling in the box and May made sure from the resulting spot-kick. May then turned provider when he picked up a Ziggy Gordon pass and switched the ball over for McShane to slam home goal number two in the 22nd minute.

And Airdrie’s night grew progressively worse in the 37th minute when goalkeeper Robbie Thomson’s clearance dropped just at the right height for centre half Martin Canning’s powerful header to land in May’s path to sink Accies third.

The only surprise during a one-sided second half was that it took May until the 76th minute to lay claim to the match ball after he was put through one-on-with only Thomson to beat.

Devlin’s late red card in the 87th minute was the only blemish of the night before Brophy swept home to make it 5-0.

Hamilton Accies: Cuthbert, Gordon, Hendrie, Devlin, Canning (Page 77), Routledge, Crawford, MacKinnon, May (Brophy 81), Gillespie, McShane (Ryan 71). Subs not used: Christie, Neil.

Airdrie United: Thomson, O’Neill, Warren, Drummond, Lamie (Buchanan 46), Cook (Bain 52), Hetherington, Moore (Donnelly 46), Coogans, McLaren. Subs not used: Arthur, Watt.

Referee: W Collum.

Attendance: 850.