Ross County take rare win at rivals Hamilton

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12 Dec 2015

By Kenny Crawford BSports Scotland at New Douglas Park

Two late goals ensured Ross County recorded a rare victory on the road against Hamilton Accies.

Hamilton took a first-half lead when Gramoz Kurtaj finished off a fine Accies move but County levelled through Craig Curran's low strike.

The visitors went ahead thanks to Stewart Murdoch's first County goal in off the underside of the crossbar.

And the icing on the cake was Liam Boyce's last-minute strike from Michael Gardyne's cut-back.

It sealed a first away victory in the Premiership since August for the Dingwall side and also lifts them above Accies to fifth in the league.

Kurtaj grabbed his third goal of the season to give Accies the lead

Hamilton's main shirt sponsor specialises in home improvements and it was exactly that Martin Canning's men wanted to achieve, with their previous win at New Douglas Park stretching as far back as September.

The Accies team these days is a blend of their usual home grown talent and some interesting signings from various corners of Europe and beyond.

One of those is Kosovo-born German Kurtaj, who had already tested County goalkeeper Scott Fox from a tight angle before he was on hand to put Hamilton in front.

It was a brilliantly worked move by Accies, with Dougie Imrie's pass to the left channel finding Carlton Morris, who in turn squared the ball across goal for Kurtaj to tap in from six yards.

The 24-year-old nearly had a second minutes later but Fox was able to turn that low effort one round the near post.

Curran smashed home a second-half leveller for County

County boss Jim McIntyre's five starting XI changes and subsequent attacking formation failed to have any real impact until just before half-time, when Raffaele de Vita's looping header sailed comfortably wide.

Hamilton's Northern Irish goalkeeper Michael McGovern probably had enough spare time in the first half to think about who he hoped his country would get in the Euro 2016 draw, but he became busier after the break.

Jonathan Franks set up County team-mate Martin Woods for a 20-yard drive that McGovern tipped over well, then from the ensuing corner Accies' captain had to repel Andrew Davies' header.

The Dingwall side did eventually beat him, though. Another corner fell for midfielder Jackson Irvine to crack a shot off the underside of the crossbar and it rebounded nicely into the path of Curran for the Englishman to drill the visitors level.

Murdoch (third from right) came off the bench to give County the lead

Apart from a claim for a penalty when Hamilton midfielder Ali Crawford appeared to be fouled on the edge of the box by Irvine, it was County who were fruitful on the attack from there on in.

Former Falkirk and Fleetwood Town midfielder Murdoch was in the right place at the right time when the ball broke to him in the box to lash home County's crucial second.

Then Boyce netted his 14th goal of the season with a finish which found the net via a deflection off an Accies defender following good work down the right by Gardyne.

Lineup, Bookings (3) & Substitutions (6)

Hamilton Academical

01 McGovern
02 Gordon
15 Sendles-White Booked
44 De Lima Tagliapietra
03 Kurakins (Nade - 89' )
06 Gillespie
07 Imrie
18 MacKinnon (Docherty - 82' )
11 Crawford
12 Kurtaj
14 Morris (Longridge - 75' )

Substitutes

10 Redmond
17 Longridge
21 Docherty
24 Tena
26 Martin
27 Nade
30 Boyd

Ross County

01 Fox
12 Foster
06 Robertson
15 Davies Booked
03 Reckord
17 Franks (Murdoch - 82' )
36 Irvine
26 Woods Booked
24 De Vita (Gardyne - 74' )
11 Curran (Schalk - 76' )
10 Boyce

Substitutes

02 Fraser
05 Boyd
07 Gardyne
08 McShane
18 Murdoch
21 Woods
23 Schalk

Ref: William Collum

Att: 2,120

Match Stats

Possession 49 51

Shots

12 14

On target

4 5

Corners

7 6

Fouls

13 5

Live Text Commentary

Full time

Full Time Match ends, Hamilton Academical 1, Ross County 3.

90:00 +3:04 Full time

Full Time Second Half ends, Hamilton Academical 1, Ross County 3.

90:00 +1:41

Foul by Liam Boyce (Ross County).

90:00 +1:41

Dougie Imrie (Hamilton Academical) wins a free kick on the left wing.

89:38 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Hamilton Academical 1, Ross County 3. Liam Boyce (Ross County) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Michael Gardyne.

88:44 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Hamilton Academical. Christian Nade replaces Antons Kurakins.

85:53 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Hamilton Academical 1, Ross County 2. Stewart Murdoch (Ross County) right footed shot from very close range to the top right corner.

83:51

Attempt blocked. Stewart Murdoch (Ross County) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

81:55 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Hamilton Academical. Greg Docherty replaces Darian MacKinnon.

81:34 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Ross County. Stewart Murdoch replaces Jonathan Franks.