Relegation ‘favourites’ tag inspires Accies

Antoine-Curier: Accies goalscorer. Picture: SNS

Dundee United 2-2 Hamilton Academical

Scorers: Dundee United - Ciftci (17), Fojut (45); Hamilton Academical - Antoine-Curier (28), Andreu (33)

Alex Neil’s Accies were predicted by many to be candidates for the drop before the season got under way but have proved their doubters wrong with some impressive results on their return to the top flight.

After six games, Hamilton have lost just once, back on the opening day against Inverness, and have won four times, with their first and only draw so far coming at Tannadice on Saturday against Dundee United where both sides finished with ten men.

Hamilton moved to the top of the Scottish Premiership on goal difference thanks to the hard-fought 2-2 draw as Neil’s side leapfrogged Inverness, who lost at Partick Thistle, to make the Lanarkshire side the early-season leaders, with one goal more than Caley Thistle.

Hamilton goalscorer Antoine-Curier reckons their motivation is coming from being so unfancied after winning promotion from the Championship.

He said: “It’s great for morale. We’re all really enjoying things just now. Being top is always a nice feeling. It’s amazing where we are just now as everyone wrote us off, but I don’t even look at the league to be honest.

“It’s still early days as far as we’re concerned but we want to show we’re a good team. We just have to keep trying to do what we have been doing in recent weeks.

“Right now we are concentrating on each game but we will try to stay at the top for as long as we can.”

The hosts went ahead in the 17th minute when Mario Bilate’s quick throw-in caught the Hamilton defence napping and Nadir Ciftci raced into the box with the ball at his feet.

The Turkish player brushed aside two Hamilton defenders before cutting into the six-yard box where he calmly slotted past the advancing Michael McGovern.

United defender Callum Morris then took a fresh air swipe at Imrie’s mis-hit shot, allowing Antoine-Curier to pounce on the mistake and he lashed the ball home past Cierzniak from ten yards.

Anthony Andreu put Accies ahead with a 33rd-minute shot which deceived United’s Polish goalkeeper Radoslaw Cierzniak before Jaroslaw Fojut headed home on the stroke of half-time to make it 2-2.

Ciftci was sent off for punching the ball into the Hamilton net five minutes before half-time after Hamilton midfielder Darian MacKinnon was given his marching orders for over- celebrating Antoine-Curier’s equaliser.

But Hamilton manager Neil insisted his players deserve huge credit for moving to the top of the Scottish Premiership.

Neil said: “We’ve worked hard to get where we are right now. It’s something we want to continue but we know it won’t be easy.

“It’s all about trying to get results with each game that comes.”

The match calmed down a little after the break although Hamilton did go close to going back in front after 55 minutes.

Alister Crawford got the better of United midfielder Paul Paton before firing in a shot which Cierzniak was relieved to see clear his near post.

Crawford was involved again after 71 minutes as he forced Cierzniak into a reflex save. The Polish goalkeeper had raced off his line in an effort to help his defence but found himself in no-man’s land.

In the dying minutes, Hamilton skipper Martin Canning’s header went just inches over the bar from Crawford’s corner as United breathed a sigh of relief.

United manager Jackie McNamara felt it was an afternoon to forget for his team.

McNamara said: “It was a strange sort of game. That’s probably the best way to describe it. We lost two bad goals and that cost us.

“We’ve got to learn from that because it’s too easy for the opposition when you defend like that.

“We’re disappointed but we’ll move onto the next game which is a derby against Dundee, and that’s a big game.”