Patrick and Hamilton share points in entertaining season-ending draw
Hamilton's Eamonn Brophy was twice denied a hat-trick by the woodwork as Accies and Partick Thistle served up an entertaining 2-2 draw in their their final Ladbrokes Premiership fixture at Firhill.
In a thrilling first half, Brophy levelled twice for the visitors, the first time from the spot, after Kris Doolan and then David Amoo had headed Thistle in front.
Brophy hit the post and the crossbar with shots after the break and Thistle's on-loan attacker Aidan Nesbitt struck the bar before both sides settled for a point from a tension-free afternoon in sunny Maryhill.
Former Scotland Under-21 keeper Alan Martin made his debut in goals for Accies while 17-year-old James Penrice was making his first home start for the Jags, and they joined in the minute's applause before kick-off in tribute to Thistle kit man Ricky Roughan who passed away earlier in the week.
Thistle's opening goal came in the third minute after Martin made a fine save down at his left-hand post from Amoo. The visitors failed to clear the resultant Penrice corner and Doolan popped up at the back post to head in his 14th goal of the season and become the first Jag to score in five consecutive top-flight games since Joe McBride in 1961.
And so the drama began.
Accies drew level when Thistle keeper Ryan Scully was adjudged by referee Alan Muir to have fouled Danny Redmond close to goal with Brophy confidently knocking in the penalty.
Thistle restored their lead in the 19th minute after Martin tipped over a Steven Lawless effort for another corner from the right. Penrice's cross was initially cleared and returned into the box by defender Freddie Frans, where it was knocked on for Amoo to head in from a yard out.
Back came the Lanarkshire side again and a minute later 20-year-old Brophy latched onto a Greg Docherty through-ball, rounded Scully and stroked the ball in from three yards.
The game settled down thereafter as the two teams steadied themselves in defence.
Both sides still came agonisingly close to what could have been a winning goal, though.
Four minutes after the restart Brophy picked the ball up and from 25 yards fired in a drive which beat Scully but crashed off the post.
Accies' Steven Boyd then missed the target from 14 yards after good work by Ali Crawford before both sides again came close.
In the 72nd minute Nesbitt, on loan from Celtic, was released by Doolan but although his lob beat Martin, the ball bounced off the bar.
At the other end Brophy curled a shot against the bar from the edge of the box as he was narrowly denied his hat-trick for a second time.
Both teams went for the winner and defender Ziggy Gordon, playing his last game for Accies before departing for pastures new, missed a sitter in the 89th minute when he ballooned over the bar.
Source: PA
