A Euan Lindsay double gave Hamilton Accies all three points in a keenly contested Lanarkshire derby this afternoon.
The New Douglas Park men grabbed the vital first just before the interval and doubled their advantage twelve minutes from time.
However, a spirited Motherwell continued to battle and were rewarded when substitute Keiran McGachie bulleted home a close range header.
It wasn’t enough though as Accies held on for the three points which puts them just two behind ‘Well in the Under 19s table, albeit having played a game more.
Accies started the game on the front foot and maintained that for the majority of the first half. However, Steve Howarth would register the first shot of the game after just two minutes when he took advantage of some decent hold up play by Lee Erwin but the former Clyde man dragged his shot from the edge of the area a good few yards wide of Kennedy’s left hand post.
Five minutes later, the same player had another decent chance when he raced on to a lovely Keiran McDonald through ball but his low effort was saved by the feet of the Accies goalkeeper.
It certainly wasn’t one way traffic at that stage though as the visitors had chances of their own. Euan Lindsay flicked a header from the penalty spot bouncing wide of the post and Pittman really should’ve put his side ahead when he collected a weak clearance but could only drag his low shot wide of the post.
Both sides traded half chances from distance, Lindsay again for Accies and Josh Watt for ‘Well, but nothing that would trouble either goalkeeper.
However, as the half wore on, the visitors began to get the upper hand. There were howls of protest from the Accies bench when Roxburgh was denied by an excellent low save from Bradley on the edge of his box. The accusation was that the Welshman handled outside his area but video evidence backed up the referee’s call to wave play on.
However, four minutes before the break, the Hoops took the lead. Good play down the left flank was rewarded when winger Roxburgh cut the ball back for Lindsay on the edge of the area. The midfielder produced an excellent curling finish high into the top right hand corner leaving ‘Well keeper Bradley with no chance.
Just before the interval, ‘Well almost took advantage of some sloppy play in the Accies defence when Howarth raced through and although his shot beat the goalkeeper, it was rescued by McGlinchey although it looked to be rolling wide in any case.
A half-time chat by Gordon Young appeared to make some difference as ‘Well came out the traps in the second half with a little bit more spring in their step.
A decent header from Erwin forced Kennedy to tip round and the same player raced through, after a lovely one-two with Howarth on the half-way line, but his dinked effort dropped agonisingly wide of the post when it looked to be bouncing in.
You had a feeling then that Erwin’s chance was the big one and it proved to be the case as Accies eventually doubled their lead.
Another flowing move, this time down the right, ended when Pittman curled a shot off the underside of the crossbar from twenty yards. It fell fortuitously at the feet of Lindsay who tapped home his, and Hamilton’s, second of the afternoon with just twelve minutes left on the clock.
To Gordon Young’s credit, he introduced strikers Craig Moore and Keiran McGachie and went with three up front in search of goals and he was rewarded when the latter of the two gave Motherwell hope with two minutes left to play.
A cross from the left found another substitute, Chris Connor, who produced an excellent header well saved by Kennedy. The resulting corner was met by the former Stenhousemuir man and he bulleted home from a few yards out.
Frustratingly for ‘Well, Accies held their nerve and played the remaining few minutes deep in the Motherwell corners.
Motherwell: Bradley, Brown, Sloan, Murray, McKinnon, Watt, Carswell, Halsman (Connor 75mins), MacDonald (McGachie 82mins), Erwin (Moore 79mins), Howarth
Subs Not Used: Muir, Griffin, McLean, Ashgar
