Hamilton Accies slipped to seventh in the Championship after a narrow defeat to Queen’s Park at Hampden.
Jack Turner’s sixth goal of the season inflcited a fourth defeat of the Championship campaign on John Rankin’s Accies, who were unable to build on last week’s win over Partick Thistle.
They will rue Daire O’Connor’s late effort though, as the midfielder dragged a volley agonisingly wide of the post that could have earned a share of the spoils.
Both Accies boss John Rankin and Spiders gaffer Callum Davidson named unchanged 11s from last week, for what was the visitors’ first trip to the national stadium in almost two years.
Inside the first 60 seconds, Accies skipper Scott Martin robbed the Spiders of possession in their own half and burst forward. He could have slipped in Oli Shaw, but opted to go alone and his effort inside the box was blocked by Dane Murray.
Connor Smith will feel he should have done better in nine minutes when Kevin O’Hara’s through ball teed him up for a strike inside the box, but he could only fire straight at Spiders keeper Calum Ferrie.
The hosts almost broke the deadlock in 12 minutes when Cammy Kerr and Dom Thomas played a nice one-two on the edge of the box. The former saw his strike deflect millimetres wide of Dean Lyness’ left-hand post, with the Accies keeper scrambling across his goal.
Two minutes later, space opened up for Jamie Barjonas in midfield to dart towards goal and let fly. His strike also whistled past the post, as Spiders escaped punishment.
Quick feet for Thomas on the edge of the box opened up space for another pop at goal in 16 minutes, as the end-to-end start continued. Again though, the finish was lacking and his strike flashed wide. Roddy McGregor then stung the hands of Lyness from distance as Spiders got their first effort on target moments later.
In 32 minutes Spiders should have taken the lead. A fantastic, silky run from Henry Fieldson saw him weave his way past three defenders from out on the right wing. As he found his way into the box, he laid it on a plate for Ryan Duncan to score, but he somehow blazed over the bar from six yards out.
Accies responded with McGinty nodding the ball back into the danger area after a free-kick from Martin, and Lee Kilday – last week’s unlikely hero against Partick – produced an acrobatic effort that forced Ferrie into a solid stop from close range.
Half-time arrived with the sides still level and going into the second half, it looked like it would take just one goal to sepratae the sides.
In search of it, Queen’s Park almost found the opener in 59 minutes when the ball fell to Thomas, who has four goals already this season, fired at goal from the edge of the box and his effort, again, flashed just wide of the target.
Four minutes later, it was the hosts who found the breakthrough. Fieldson made his way down the left-wing and fired a low delivery right across the face of goal, which Turner was allowed to bring under his control before firing into the bottom corner inside the six-yard box. It was a horrible goal for Accies to lose with the defence caught napping at the back post.
Accies responded with a double substitution, Barjonas and Euan Henderson being replaced by Daire O’Connor and Steven Bradley. And Bradley had the chance to make an instant impact when O’Hara’s picked out his run into the box, but, leaning back, he fired over from 10 yards.
A last throw of the dice from Rankin came in the 83rd minute when he threw on Nikolay Todorov and Reghan Tumilty, in place of Connor Smith and Barry Maguire.
A minute later, Spiders threatened to find a second when Thomas’ cross was bravely met by the head of McGregor inside the box. He clattered into a defender in the process and Lyness did well to keep his effort out.
Daire O’Connor should have equalosed in the 86th minute for Accies when a brilliant ball over the top teed him up inside the box, but he dragged his volley agonisingly wide of the far post – leaving gaffer John Rankin holding his head in his hands on the touchline.
Attention turns to SPFL Trust Trophy action next week. Accies host Greenock Morton on Friday night in the last 16.
QUEEEN’S PARK: Ferrie, Kerr, Fieldson, Murray, Tizzard, Duncan (Longridge 78), Welsh, Turner, MacGregor, Rudden (McLeish 90), Thomas (Mauchin 90).
Scorers: Turner 62
Bookings: Thomas
Subs not used: Wills, Udjur, MacKenzie, Hickey-Fugaccia, Evans, Hinds.
HAMILTON: Lyness, Kilday, Maguire (Tumilty 83), McGinty, Longridge, O’Hara, Barjonas (Bradley 70) , Henderson (O’Connor 70), Martin, Smith (Todorov 83), Shaw.
Scorers:
Bookings: Barjonas
Subs not used: Albinson, Hendrie, Williamson, Morgan.
HT: 0-0
Ref: Dan McFarlane
Att 1,259
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