DOUGIE IMRIE, the Hamilton striker, has forever been a popular figure with their support and here his appeal soared further, with this late leveller earning the tireless 10-man hosts a deserved share of the spoils.
With just three minutes remaining, Imrie’s opportunist streak came to the fore again as he slotted home an equaliser which few could have begrudged Martin Canning’s men who fought out the majority of the second-half with just 10 men after Darian MacKinnon’s straight red card.
Kevin Holt, Dundee’s young defender, had put Paul Hartley’s visitors on course for victory with his early second-half strike and that looked even more likely following MacKinnon’s dismissal.
Despite being a man down, though, Accies refused to crumble with Imrie salvaging a draw which their overall efforts more than merited.
“We thought the equaliser wasn’t going to come,” admitted Canning afterwards.
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“Having. had one ruled out for offside earlier, we were just delighted when Dougie popped up. That’s the first quarter over and it’s been a good start for us. That’s 17 points and if we we can continue that kind of form, we should stay in the league which is the main aim.”
Dundee handed Rhys Healey, their on-loan Cardiff City striker, his first start since joining at the end of August.
But it was Hamilton who threatened first when Gramoz Kurtaj’s header from Ali Crawford’s corner was parried away by Scott Bain, the visiting keeper. Just before the half-hour mark, Kurtaj latched onto Imrie’s cut-back, but couldn’t keep his shot down as Bain was relieved to see it sail over.
Dundee took the lead in 47 minutes when Holt seized on a loose ball 25 yards from goal and his left-foot effort took a severe deflection off Grant Gillespie, wrong-footing home keeper Michael McGovern on its way into the net.
Accies were reduced to 10 men in 59 minutes after MacKinnon stupidly lashed out at Thomas Konrad, the Dundee defender, who was on the deck, leaving referee Willie Collum with little alternative.
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Hamilton, with their spirit far from dampened, had the ball in the net in 71 minutes but Carlton Morris was judged to have been offside when he headed home Ziggy Gordon’s cross.
They weren’t to be denied, though. In the dying minutes, a slick move involving Christian Nade, the substitute, and Gordon was finished off when Imrie smacked the ball home from close range.
“I think the most disappointing thing is not being able to see the game out,” conceded Dundee manager Hartley. “We need the clean-sheet mentality coming to a difficult venue like this. We didn’t keep the ball well enough and the sending-off actually spooked us a little bit.
Star man: Rhys Healey (Dundee)
Hamilton: McGovern 6, Gordon 6, Kurkakins 7, Gillespie 6, Imrie 7 (Docherty 89min, 5) Crawford 4 (Longridge 23min, 5) Kurtaj, Morris 6 (Nade 75min, 5) MacKinnon 5, Garcia-Tena 6, Tagliapietra 6
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Dundee: Bain 6, Holt 7, Konrad 6, Etxabeguren 6 (Meggat 72min, 5) McGinn 6, Calder 5 (Low 62min, 5) Ross 6, Harkins 6, Stewart 6, Loy 6, Healey 7 (Gadzhalov 78min, 5)