Match ends, Hamilton Academical 0, Inverness CT 2.
HamiltonHamilton Academical0Inverness CTInverness Caledonian Thistle2
Inverness inflicted Hamilton's fourth Premiership defeat in a row as Martin Canning's first match since becoming player-manager ended in frustration.
The hosts' Michael McGovern made excellent saves from Billy McKay and Josh Meekings but could not prevent Grant Gillespie's unfortunate own goal.
And although Hamilton looked assured, they fell further behind in 76 minutes when Nick Ross swept home.
The goals gave Inverness their fifth consecutive league win.
In appointing Canning, Hamilton sought continuity after the reign of Alex Neil came to an end with his departure to Norwich City.
This performance suggests that is what they will get, with the work-rate of the players in red and white and the desire to pass typical of a team driven by Neil.
Accies excel at closing down their opponents and Tony Andreu gave Dean Brill a fright when he chased a back-pass and bore down on the Caley Thistle goalkeeper, who managed to clear in the nick of time.
That set the tone for the first half, with Dougie Imrie, Darian MacKinnon and Ali Crawford central to Accies' energetic play.
Imrie found himself in space in the box but he failed to connect properly with a right-foot effort and the ball drifted into the arms of Brill.
Gary Warren was booked by Brian Colvin for a desperate tackle on Andreu but Jesus Garcia Tena floated the subsequent free-kick over the crossbar.
Caley Thistle manager John Hughes looked unperturbed at the direction of play but would have been heartened to see Greg Tansey smash a low shot at goal.
That was the sum of efforts on target in the first half but the crowd of 5,089, who paid only 10p admission, were kept entertained by the accurate one-touch passing.
Inverness started the second period strongly and McGovern made a superb, instinctive save to block McKay's snap shot from eight yards.
But the Accies keeper was fortuitously beaten as Inverness took the lead. Defender Graeme Shinnie lashed in a shot that McGovern managed to parry, but the ball ricocheted against his team-mate Gillespie and looped over his head.
An immediate second goal would have been cruel on Hamilton and they had their keeper to thank for somehow touching Meekings' powerful header from Tansey's corner round a post.
For all their endeavour, Accies were drawing a blank up front, with a Tena header over the bar from a corner a rare attempt as Caley Thistle grew in confidence.
And the composed Highlanders earned themselves a two-goal cushion with 14 minutes remaining when Ross rounded off a lovely move by sweeping home a Ross Draper lay-off from the edge of the box.
The match ended on a sour note for Inverness, though, when Brill was stretchered off with a leg injury.
Line-ups
Hamilton
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1McGovern
- 6Gillespie
- 5Canning
- 24Tena
- 3Hendrie
- 8Routledge
- 18MacKinnonSubstituted forDochertyat 83'minutes
- 11Crawford
- 28RedmondSubstituted forBrophyat 69'minutes
- 7ImrieBooked at 64minsSubstituted forLongridgeat 82'minutes
- 22Andreu
Substitutes
- 16Watson
- 17Longridge
- 20Brophy
- 21Docherty
- 26El-Zubaidi
- 29Hill
- 99Antoine-Curier
Inverness CT
Formation 4-4-2
- 12BrillSubstituted forEssonat 90+4'minutes
- 2Raven
- 5WarrenBooked at 13mins
- 18Tremarco
- 3Shinnie
- 19WilliamsSubstituted forDoranat 79'minutes
- 8DraperBooked at 65mins
- 16Tansey
- 6Meekings
- 11Ross
- 7Mckay
Substitutes
- 1Esson
- 4Vincent
- 10Doran
- 14Devine
- 17Horner
- 20Polworth
- 22Christie
- Referee:
- Brian Colvin
- Attendance:
- 5,089
Match Stats
Home TeamHamiltonAway TeamInverness CT
- Possession
- Home46%
- Away54%
- Shots
- Home3
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away7
- Corners
- Home6
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home19
- Away5
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Hamilton Academical 0, Inverness CT 2.
Substitution
Substitution, Inverness CT. Ryan Esson replaces Dean Brill because of an injury.
Post update
Corner, Hamilton Academical. Conceded by David Raven.
Post update
Attempt saved. Tony Andreu (Hamilton Academical) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Post update
Corner, Hamilton Academical. Conceded by Graeme Shinnie.
Post update
Foul by Louis Longridge (Hamilton Academical).
Post update
Carl Tremarco (Inverness CT) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Substitution
Substitution, Hamilton Academical. Greg Docherty replaces Darian MacKinnon.
Substitution
Substitution, Hamilton Academical. Louis Longridge replaces Dougie Imrie.
Post update
Corner, Hamilton Academical. Conceded by Gary Warren.
Substitution
Substitution, Inverness CT. Aaron Doran replaces Danny Williams.
Goal!
Goal! Hamilton Academical 0, Inverness CT 2. Nick Ross (Inverness CT) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Ross Draper.
Post update
Graeme Shinnie (Inverness CT) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Dougie Imrie (Hamilton Academical).
Post update
Foul by Josh Meekings (Inverness CT).
Post update
Dougie Imrie (Hamilton Academical) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Attempt saved. Billy McKay (Inverness CT) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Post update
Graeme Shinnie (Inverness CT) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Jesus Garcia Tena (Hamilton Academical).
