The derby delight didn’t last long for Dundee as they made it two successive defeats in the Premiership.
The Dark Blues may have gotten the better of neighbours Dundee United in the Betfred Cup on Wednesday night but they were second best to Hamilton Accies in this league clash at the Superseal Stadium.
Added to the home loss to Ross County the previous weekend, it leaves them pointless a couple of matches into the campaign.
It could have been so different, though, had they made the most of the blistering start they made in Lanarkshire and/or scored the penalty they were given.
The visitors squandered a couple of excellent early chances to take the lead, with Scott Allan and Faissal El Bakhtaoui the guilty parties.
They were made to pay when Darian MacKinnon’s well-placed strike made it 1-0 on 25 minutes then Steven Boyd’s clever chip doubled Hamilton’s lead on 36 minutes.
Allan should have got one back for the visitors on 78 minutes but skied his spotkick and Accies grabbed their third – from the spot up at the other end – through Dougie Imrie with just five minutes to go.
The Dark Blues made two changes to the side that started the derby win over United in the cup.
Winger Roarie Deacon picked up a knock against the Tangerines so didn’t feature against Accies, while young central defender Kerr Waddell was given a place on the bench by boss Neil McCann after playing so well in the cup-tie.
Waddell’s place was taken by skipper Darren O’Dea, now free of suspension, while Randy Wolters started out wide.
Hamilton created a good chance after just two minutes, with Boyd shooting over the bar after an Ioannis Skondras cross was headed on by Ali Crawford.
The Dark Blues then broke clear through Allan a couple of minutes later but the midfielder cut it back to Marcus Haber and the Canadian’s shot was blocked. The ball came back to Allan and this time his strike was saved by keeper Gary Woods.
There was then a remarkable let-off for Accies as Dundee frontman El Baktaoui had no fewer than three consecutive strikes at goal.
The first shot was saved by Woods, the rebound hit the post and then the third attempt flew wide.
The away fans behind the goal could hardly believe it and there was no doubt the visitors should have been ahead, perhaps by a couple of goals.
A freekick from Hamilton’s Crawford was well held by Dens goalie Scott Bain on 15 minutes as the hosts finally found their feet in the game.
Having enjoyed the mother of all let-offs, though, Accies took the lead on 25 minutes.
A corner from the left was floated over by Crawford and it eventually made its way to MacKinnon at the edge of the box.
The finish was a good one, with the Accies man sending the ball through a ruck of players and just inside Bain’s right-hand post.
As the match headed past the half-hour, Dark Blues wideman Wolters hobbled off injured and was replaced by Danny Williams.
Rakish Bingham was unsuccessful with an overhead kick on 33 minutes as Hamilton looked for a second goal but they did make it 2-0 on 36 minutes.
The man inflicting the pain on the visitors this time was Boyd and it was a sublime finish.
He was found by a great pass from MacKinnon and took a terrific first touch before lifting the ball over the head of Bain from 25 yards.
In first-half stoppage-time, Dundee captain O’Dea required treatment but was able to play on, while Haber headed into Woods’ arms from an Allan corner as the whistle was blown for the interval.
The Accies fans were certainly enjoying themselves, with some taunting former Sky Sports pundit McCann with a chant of: “You should have stayed on the telly.”
O’Dea was booked for kicking Boyd on 49 minutes before Jack Hendry’s effort flew past the post.
The Dark Blues took off O’Dea on 54 minutes, Waddell replacing him, with the first-half injury finally getting the better of the Irishman. Just minutes later, Accies made a switch of their own as Bingham came off and Louis Longridge went on.
Dundee came close to getting one back when Danny Williams’ header went just wide before Hamilton brought on David Templeton for Boyd.
The hosts had another go on 68 minutes when a Crawford corner to the edge of the box was volleyed by Scott McMann only to hit a wall of players.
El Bakhtaoui tried in vain to repeat his derby goal when he blasted the ball wide from 25 yards then, up at the other end, Longridge drilled the ball across goal and out.
Sub Williams was looking lively and he had a great chance to score when sent clear but he fired straight at Woods.
The Dark Blues then missed their best chance of all – a penalty on 78 minutes.
Skondras fouled Williams inside the box and referee Bobby Madden pointed to the spot. Up stepped Allan to blast his shot over the bar and keep the scoreline at 2-0.
Haber then had an opportunity but Woods pulled out a great save from close range to deny the Dens striker.
With five minutes left, it was 3-0 to Accies as they themselves made sure from the spot, with Imrie blasting home after Kevin Holt had fouled Templeton.
Attendance: 1,694.
Hamilton: Woods, Skondras, McMann, Imrie, Docherty, Bingham (Longridge 57), Crawford (Redmond 86), MacKinnon, Donati, Boyd (Templeton 65), Sarris. Subs not used: Fulton, Gillespie, Gogic, Lyon.
Dundee: Bain, Kerr, Holt, O’Dea (Waddell 54), Kamara, Allan, McGowan (O’Hara 79), El Bakhtaoui, Hendry, Wolters (Williams 33), Haber. Subs not used: Parish, Vincent, Hateley, Spence.
Referee: Bobby Madden.
