Hamilton Academical 2 Dunfermline 2

cinch Championship: Polworth starts in place of Dorrans. Coll Donaldson (5) 0-1: David Moyo (25) 1-1: Steven Lawless (52 pen.) 1-2: David Moyo (77) 2-2:

In a match peppered with controversy, Hamilton twice came from behind to deny Dunfermline the three points.

Dunfermline in tenth took on eighth placed Hamilton for the fourth time this season. The record so far revealed one win, one defeat and one draw but the visitors were in greatest need so this was always going to be a highly competitive match.

John Hughes was without captain Graham Dorrans but that created the opportunity for Liam Polworth to make his starting debut. Otherwise the Dunfermline team was the same as at Arbroath the previous Saturday.

Former Pars’ striker Andy Ryan was dropped to the Hamilton bench with Ellis Brown starting for the first time for the New Douglas Park side and Jamie Hamilton coming in for Reegan Mimnaugh. Prior to kick off hoses sprayed water on the artificial surface while overhead the patchy clouds in the otherwise blue sky looked like they would pass without depositing any more moisture.

Polworth and Dan Pybus got the match underway with Hamilton attacking the goal in front of the 433 strong travelling support. It was the visitors who got off to the best possible start going ahead in just the fifth minute. Joe Chalmers had an effort blocked but with the ball fed back to Efe Ambrose inside the centre circle the on loan St Johnstone man slipped the ball left to Coll DONALDSON. His partner in central defence was able to advance upfield, brushing aside two challenges before smashing a shot from 30 yards out that found in the right corner of the Accies net. 0-1

First real threat from Hamilton came after Pybus fouled Brown on the edge of the Pars penalty box. Josh Mullin fired the 14th minute free kick into the eight man defensive wall with the ball rebounding away off the back of Ambrose.

Dunfermline countered and looked lively exchanging the ball deep inside the Accies half. Eventually it was Pybus’ pass to Ryan Dow that teed up Kevin O’Hara for a shot. That was blocked but Lawless latched on to the next chance with keeper Ryan Fulton turning the stand in captain’s 17th minute drive on to his crossbar.

Hamilton equalised in 25 minutes when David MOYO headed in a Kai Kennedy cross from wide left. The Pars players complained bitterly, clearly feeling that their keeper Jakub Stolarczyk had been fouled by the goalscorer as they both went for the ball. 1-1

The half would end in controversy with Josh Edwards being shown a yellow card for diving in the Hamilton box. There was a clear hand of Brown on the back of the Pars man as he attempted to convert a O’Hara pass in towards him. Josh was certainly assisted in his road to the deck but in the second added minute of the half there would be no penalty and yet another decision went against Dunfermline in this match.

Half time: Hamilton Academical 1 Dunfermline 1

The decision that went against the Fifers was evened up within seven minutes of the restart. Pybus sent over an inviting ball from the right and as Edwards challenged for the ball Brown bundled him off the ball. This time referee Greg Aitken pointed to the penalty spot and LAWLESS dispatched the ball into the bottom left despite keeper Fulton going the right way. 1-2

Now in the lead Dunfermline looked much more assertive and O’Hara made a good run in along the right byeline but his cut back was intercepted. Polworth tested the keeper with an on target attempt in 59 minutes and next minute a Polworth free kick from the left was met by the head of Ambrose but that was saved.

Pybus kept up the pressure with his shot from 20 yards earning the first corner of the afternoon. The home support were growing increasingly impatient but their side defended the corner before their manager Stuart Taylor made a double substitution - Lewis Smith and Andy Winter replacing Kai Kennedy and Ellis Brown.

Although changing to a 4-3-3 that changed little for the Lanarkshire outfit and their fans howled boos as Pybus smashed another shot at goal but wide left. Andy Ryan was also thrown on and there was some stiff defending for the visitors to be done.

Hamilton wasted their 75th minute corner but after a period of being hemmed in Dunfermline conceded a second corner, this time on the left. From the delivery MOYO headed an effort that Comrie, on the near post, just couldn’t stop crossing the line for a second equaliser of the game. 2-2

There were chances for the winner from both sides. Joe Chalmers accepted a neat cut back from Lawless but fired wide left and at the other end a punched clearance from an Accies corner by Stolarczyk landed for Ryan and his header slipped over off the crossbar.

Raith Rovers defeated ninth placed Queen of the South 1-0 and so the gap between Dunfermline and Hamilton remains seven points but the Fifers have a game in hand on them both.

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