Dundee have been relegated following this 1-0 defeat – their 10th in a row – at Dens to Hamilton.
The Dark Blues’ top-flight status was hanging by a thread before kick-off but Accies hammered the final nail in their coffin with the winning goal being scored by former Dundee United player Tony Andreu.
Almost exactly five years to the day that Dundee secured automatic promotion to the Premiership at the expense of Hamilton, they return to the Championship.
Dark Blues boss Jim McIntyre made three changes from the team that lost at Motherwell last week with Nathan Ralph, and the two Currans, Jesse and Craig, being replaced in the starting line-up by James Horsfield, Darren O’Dea and John O’Sullivan.
The home side had a big scare in just the eighth minute when Hamilton striker Marios Ogkmpoe headed on a deep free-kick that beat stranded Dundee keeper Seny Dieng but the ball bounced just wide of the post.
The Dark Blues struggled to create anything of note themselves although they were not helped by blatant time wasting by Accies.
Hamilton keeper Ryan Fulton wasn’t tested until the 33rd minute when he comfortably held a 35-yard Scott Wright free-kick with Cammy Kerr then sending another long-range effort just over the bar.
Shortly before half-time, Accies had a superb opportunity to break the deadlock but Dieng made a vital block from Darian MacKinnon’s shot.
The start of the second half followed a similar pattern to the first 45 – a grim war of attrition with little in the way of quality on show.
Dundee finally had a half chance in the 58th minute when sub Craig Curran sent a chipped effort towards goal with the ball being tipped over by Fulton.
However, the home fans’ hearts were in their mouths just two minutes later as Horsfield had to clear a powerful Aaron McGowan header off his own line.
Andreu then found space in the Dundee box but his snap shot was straight at Dieng.
Accies came close again in the 76th minute when Scott Martin sent a 20-yard curler just past Dieng’s left-hand post with the keeper then having to look lively to palm away a rising George Oakley shot.
However, the goalie was helpless to prevent Accies scoring what proved to be the winner in the 83rd minute.
Referee Nick Walsh decided that Ryan McGowan had clipped Mickel Miller in the Dundee box with the official pointing to the spot. Andreu calmly stroked the penalty home, sending Dieng the wrong way.
There was no way back for the Dark Blues with the final whistle being greeted a barrage of boos from the home fans.
