Hamilton 2 Inverness 1: Audacious O'Hara strike helps Accies to first leg advantage in play-off final

It is advantage Hamilton Accies in the Championship play-off final after Kevin O'Hara's audacious long-range strike lit up their first leg win over Inverness.

The Accies striker lobbed Mark Ridgers from nearly 50-yards in the sixth minute, with the ball striking the post and going in off the Caley keeper's head, before Ridgers was caught all at sea again when Fergus Owens headed home a second midway through the first-half.

But after being dominated in the first-half, Duncan Ferguson's side gave themselves a lifeline when substitute Aribim Pepple popped up to pull one back in the 68th minute, leaving them with work to do in Saturday's second leg to avoid a disastrous drop into League One next season.

Accies made one change from Saturday's semi-final victory over Alloa with Lee Kilday dropping to the bench and Fergus Owens coming into the backline. The Caley Jags made two alterations after squeezing past Montrose in the Highlands. James Carragher, the son of Liverpool legend Jamie, and injured Everton loanee Sean McAllister were replaced by Danny Devine and Louis Longstaff.

The hosts got off to a dream start inside six minutes with an audacious effort from Kevin O'Hara leading to the deadlock being broken. Jackson Longridge stuck a foot in at halfway to rob Inverness of possession and when the loose ball fell to O'Hara, the striker looked up and lobbed Mark Ridgers from nearly 50-yards, with the ball catching the post and rebounding into the net off the goalkeeper's head.

That moment of magic left both sets of supporters stunned and a strange quiet descended on New Douglas Park for a few moments until a blistering strike from Max Anderson forced Accies keeper Dean Lyness to batter the ball away.

Accies were still looking lively and in 18 minutes Euan Henderson cut in off the wing and threatened to double their advantage, however his curling effort sailed over the top from a good position 15-yards out.

Caley Jags were looking for a spot-kick in the 20th minute when they had two penalty claims turned down in a matter of seconds. Charlie Gilmour went down just inside the box after Ben Williamson stuck out a leg and as he sprung back up protesting, Dylan McGowan came in and knocked him to the ground, but referee Graham Grainger wasn't interested.

Accies then doubled their advantage in 22 minutes as Ridgers, again, didn't cover himself in glory. Lewis Smith swung in a corner right on top of the Inverness defence, finding Fergus Owens. The defender powered his initial header off the bar and then reacted quickest to nod in the rebound from close range, with Ridgers all at sea.

Inverness went in search of a goal to spring them into life and Morgan Boyes knows he should have done better when he blasted a volley into the night sky after Danny Devine had headed the ball back across the penalty area.

John Rankin's side had Inverness on the ropes at this stage and they knew a third goal could deliver a potentially devastating blow. O'Hara tried to curl an effort into the top corner five minutes before the break and Accies were screaming a penalty in the 42nd minute when Ben Williamson's strike clearly hit the hand of Wallace Duffy just inside the box, but referee Grainger again refused to point to the spot as Accies took their two-goal lead into the interval.

Ferguson turned to his bench at the break with a double substitution, introducing Samson Lawal and James Carragher and the latter should have pulled a goal back four minutes into the second half. Cameron Harper's corner picked him out unmarked in the centre of the box but he couldn't keep his bullet header on target and the hosts escaped.

Up the other end, Cammy Kerr had to clear a Henderson header off the line and then Carragher got in a vital block moments later to deny the same man as Accies pushed for a third.

Corners seemed to be Caley's best hope of getting back into it and Boyes couldn't keep his volley down when another Harper delivery picked him out well in the box, leaving the band of 317 travelling fans frustrated once again.

However, the supporters were cheering in 68 minutes when their side pulled a goal back. Harper evaded a challenge in the box and then cut the ball back for substitute Pepple to sweep the ball into the bottom corner.

Pepple posed further problems for Accies with his movement in the box and in 76 minutes he swivelled and fired at goal, with a strong stop from Lyness required to deny him an equaliser.

Six minutes from time Accies substitute Mikey Hewitt almost added a third when he got on the end of Lewis Smith's free-kick to the front post, but he headed agonisingly wide of the target.

The sides will meet again on Saturday evening at the Caledonian Stadium, kick-off 5.30pm.

HAMILTON: Lyness, Tumilty (Hewitt 74), Owens, McGowan, Longridge, Barjonas (Redfern 45), Martin (Rose 74), L Smith, Williamson, Henderson (Winter 67), O'Hara (Hastie 90).

Scorers: O'Hara 6, Owens 22

Bookings: O'Hara

Subs not used: J Smith, Kilday, Murray, Hendrie.

INVERNESS: Ridgers, Devine, Duffy (Carragher 45), Boyes, Anderson, Kerr, Gilmour (Lawal 45), Longstaff (MacGregor 82), Harper, Samuel (Pepple 67), Mckay (Brooks 82).

Scorers: Pepple 68

Bookings:

Subs not used: Mackay, Samuels, Savage, Ujdur.

Ref: Graham Grainger

HT: 2-0

Att: 1,389

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