Hamilton 2-2 Ross County: Match Report

14 March 2015 17:31

County come back for Hamilton point

Ross County came back from two goals down to collect another point in their bid to avoid relegation from the Scottish Premiership in a 2-2 draw away to Hamilton.

A goal in each half from Craig Curran and Michael Gardyne were enough to give the Highlanders a deserved draw.

However, after goals from Jason Scotland and Dougie Imrie inside the opening 18 minutes put the home side two ahead, Accies had to settle for a point and extend their miserable run to 10 games without a win.

In a bid to change that form, Accies player/boss Martin Canning elected to drop himself to the bench and bring in Jesus Garcia Tena.

And that decision paid dividends after only two minutes. Ali Crawford tested County 'keeper Mark Brown with an angled drive which he managed to palm round his post.

When Danny Redmond swept in the resultant corner, Garcia Tena's glancing header steered the ball towards goal, with Scotland prodding the it over the line for the opening goal.

The visitors should have equalised three minutes later but the Accies goal somehow survived. From Raffaele De Vita's corner Filip Kiss watched his downward header saved by goalkeeper Michael McGovern. Jake Jervis latched onto the rebound but his drive was blocked on the packed goal-line.

As Accies gained in confidence, Crawford tested Brown once again but his shot from 15 yards was well held by the 'keeper.

With 18 minutes played Hamilton doubled their lead. Crawford won the ball in his own half to find Redmond and his delightful pass beyond Marcus Fraser sent Dougie Imrie racing through on goal and he gave the exposed Brown no chance blasting home to make it 2-0.

On a terrific run of wins though the Dingwall side tried to get back into the game. And with De Vita finding space on the left, the home goal regularly became exposed.

After 24 minutes De Vita's cross was backheaded by Jervis only for Michael Gardyne to volley wide from six yards.

Four minutes later De Vita fired another cross from the left and this time Curran made no mistake from four yards powering a his header high past McGovern.

Having contributed to both Hamilton's goals, Redmond decided to go it alone in the 35th minute but after powering his way towards the visitor's box he dragged his shot wide of the target.

At the other end De Vita was again the provider but from his inviting cross Jervis could only dive and direct his header wide of the inviting home goal.

Accies restarted on the attack and Crawford's powerful drive from the edge of the box was blocked by Fraser.

It was still end-to-end stuff and minutes later County should have equalised. Jamie Reckord's long ball picked out Gardyne who laid the ball back into the path of Fraser who screwed his shot well wide of target.

A better chance fell to Crawford after 52 minutes when he raced from his own half but - having outpaced the County defence - the midfielder weakly shot wide of the post.

Brown was finally tested as he dived to hold out a Scotland drive before Grant Gillespie wasted a good opening as he fired narrowly wide of goal.

Accies paid for those missed chances when County equalised after 71 minutes.

The danger seemed to be cleared when Ziggy Gordon made a last tackle to block Darvydas Sernas in the six-yard box. But when De Vita returned the ball into the goalmouth Gardyne sneaked in at the back to scoop the ball past McGovern to make it 2-2 to give the sides a share of the points.


Source: PA