Caley Thistle slip to third straight league defeat as Hamilton eke out win
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CALEY Thistle slipped to their third consecutive league defeat after slipping up 1-0 against Hamilton Accies.
Despite throwing the proverbial kitchen sink at Accies, the Caley Jags were unable to get on the scoresheet and Carlton Morris' second-half strike proved decisive.
The hosts had plenty of the ball around the Hamilton penalty area but when it came to the vital touch in front of goal, they were unable to press home their advantage.
With Hamilton a place below them in the Premiership table, the teams are now level on points with Caley Thistle ahead only on goal difference.
Inverness made two changes from the team that lost 1-0 to St Johnstone on Wednesday. Gary Warren and Carl Tremarco both missed out through suspension with Nat Wedderburn and Lewis Horner coming into the back four. For Hamilton, Grant Gillespie and Greg Docherty replaced Darren Lyon and Ali Crawford.
Both sides were in desperate need of a win - Caley Thistle failed to win any of their last five games which were all on the road, while Accies had just one victory in 14 games.
It was the home side who had the first shot of the game 16 minutes in when Liam Hughes caught Michael Devlin in possession. He fed Greg Tansey who was able to break and in turn play in Liam Polworth, who side-footed over the top.
Polworth turned provider a minute later for Jordan Roberts who, in search of his second goal for the club, angled an effort over the top of Michael McGovern's goal.
Hamilton took their time to settle and the closest they came in the opening period to scoring was from Gramoz Kurtaj, who skewed wide from Morris' flick on.
Polworth, who received his first call-up to the Scotland under-21 side on Thursday, should have had a penalty on 56 minutes. The Caley Thistle midifelder tangled with Hamilton's Greg Docherty on the left-hand side of the penalty area and went down in front of referee Steven McLean, but the official remained unmoved.
If John Hughes was angry at that, he was left furious when Hamilton opened the scoring on the hour. Hughes felt the ball had not gone out of play but McLean blew for a throw-in. Hamilton took it quickly and Grant Gillespie broke, eventually squaring for Morris to score via the post.
Richie Foran was raised from the bench to help provoke a response and it nearly worked, the club captain laying off Polworth to cross for Vigurs, who could not get enough contact on his header.
A slew of late chances came Caley Thistle's way, with Wedderburn hitting the post from a goalmouth scramble and Hughes volleying wide, but none found the net as Hughes' side slipped further out of top-six contention.
CALEY THISTLE: Fon Williams; Horner, Devine, Wedderburn, D. Williams, Tansey, Draper, Polworth (Storey, 72), Vigurs, Roberts (Foran,64), Hughes. Subs unused: Esson, R. Williams, Brown, MacLennan. Booked: Devine.
HAMILTON ACCIES: McGovern; Gordon, Devlin, Kurakins, Tagliapietra, Gillespie (Lyon, 70), Mackinnon, Docherty, Kurtaj (Redmond, 74), Imrie (Boyd, 87), Morris. Subs unused: Martin, Diaby, D'Acol, Brophy. Booked: Gillespie, Imrie, Lyon, McGovern.
Attendance: 3510.
Referee: S. McLean.
