Caley claim Hamilton scalp
Inverness extended their winning run to five games and strengthened their hold on third place in the Scottish Premiership table thanks to two second-half goals in a 2-0 victory at Hamilton.
An improved second 45 minutes from John Hughes' men was rewarded by an own goal from Grant Gillespie and a second from Nick Ross as Accies slumped to a fourth-consecutive defeat.
The home side's gesture of reducing the entry to 10p in honour of the 10 years service to the club of outgoing manager Alex Neil and his assistant Frank McAvoy had an immediate effect of attracting a crowd of 5,089 which almost trebled their average attendance.
The game also marked Martin Canning's first as player/manager after he was appointed on Friday.
After three defeats, though, and facing an Inverness side on a four game winning run, it was always going to be difficult for the new Accies' boss.
However, it was third-placed Thistle who started the more nervous and twice in the opening exchanges goalkeeper Dean Brill blundered. Firstly, from an Ali Crawford corner the Caley keeper dropped the ball inside his six-yard box, smothering it at a second attempt.
Shortly after when his clearance clattered off Dougie Imrie at the edge of the box Brill was relived that the loose ball was cleared. Having withstood the early pressure from the home side, Caley then produced the game's first attempt on goal after 20 minutes.
Billy McKay fed the ball to Greg Tansey at the corner of the box and his drive for the far corner of the goal was superbly parried by Michael McGovern at full stretch.
Leading scorer McKay had half a chance to extend his account in the 35th minute but his turn and shot was blocked by Canning 12 yards out.
Seven minutes before the break, Accies got their first shot on target when their leading marksman Tony Andreu hit a dipping volley from 25 yards but Brill comfortably held the ball under his crossbar.
Despite the ridiculously cheap entry, the fans were looking for more action in the second half. and the 571 Inverness fans were almost rewarded for their long journey south within a minute of the restart.
Nick Ross delivered a cross from the right and the ball fell in front of McKay whose low driven shot from 10 yards was again brilliantly blocked by the stopper.
The Highlanders suddenly had a bit more urgency about their play and a quick break left McKay in possession but his cross was straight at the keeper with Danny Williams unmarked in front of goal.
The breakthrough for the visitors finally came in the 52nd minute but with a huge slice of luck. McKay played the ball in front of the inrushing Graeme Shinnie whose thumping volley rebounded off McGovern's face and then off the backtracking Gillespie and into his own goal.
Thistle almost doubled their lead five minutes later. Townsey whipped his corner kick to the back post where Josh Meekings' header sent the ball towards the top corner until McGovern palmed the ball round the post.
Hamilton were struggling but came close to an equaliser when Crawford's inswinging corner skimmed off the crossbar with Brill flapping.
Another Crawford corner found Garcia Tena but his header sailed off target.
It was Caley who came closest to adding to the score in 73rd minute when McKay found himself unmarked at the corner of the six-yard box - but his rising volley was superbly parried by McGovern.
The decisive second goal was only delayed three more minutes. McKay was again involved and - when his pass picked out Draper in the box - he selflessly teed up Ross who gave the keeper no chance, sweeping the ball low into the corner of the net to wrap up the points.
The only downside for the visitors was in the final minute when, after lengthy treatment for a leg injury, Brill was carried off and replaced by Ryan Esson for six minutes of injury time.
Source: PA
