Ross County moved a point closer to Partick Thistle at the bottom of the Scottish Premiership but they know they should only be one point adrift after letting two points slip against Hamilton at Dingwall on Saturday.
A commanding first-half display produced just one goal before three minutes of madness turned the match in the visitors’ favour.
Andrew Davies headed his side level but County’s late push for a winner ended in frustration as they had to settle for a draw.
With the games running out it was a charitable afternoon the Staggies can ill-afford at this stage of the campaign.
The approach from both management teams said it all. Accies were unchanged from the side which beat Motherwell 2-0 in their previous outing, while County made six changes following their 3-2 loss at Kilmarnock.
That has been the difference between the sides this term. Accies have regularly pulled out a win when needed, while the Staggies, now on their third coaching staff of the campaign, give the impression they are still searching for a successful formula.
The Staggies need wins and they raced out the traps in search of an opener.
There was early controversy as referee Kevin Clancy waved away a strong appeal from the home side for a penalty after former County defender Kenny van der Weg sent Tim Chow tumbling in the box.
Alex Schalk, rewarded with a start after coming off the bench to score at Kilmarnock, thought he had broken the deadlock in the 12th minute with a swerving shot from the edge of the box but Accies goalkeeper Gary Woods turned his effort past the post.
It was one-way traffic towards the Accies goal, with the County wing backs providing good width and Schalk should have done better than head straight at Woods from
Jason Naismith’s cross which found him unmarked inside the six-yard box.
County kept the pressure on and their perseverance finally paid off in the 23rd minute.
Billy Mckay’s lay-off found Naismith, whose shot was blocked but fell into the path of Jamie Lindsay and the midfielder ran clear into the box before guiding the ball past Woods.
It was no less than the home side deserved and they should have had more than a one goal lead to show for their first-half efforts against a toothless Accies, who were bullied by a relentless County.
Accies were hopeless in the first half but it took them just four minutes into the second half to equalise.
Dougie Imrie replaced Antonio Rojano and his first contribution was to find
Lewis Davidson in the box and he was sent sprawling by Christopher Routis to give referee Clancy a straightforward decision in awarding a penalty.
Imrie sent County goalkeeper Aaron McCarey the wrong way from the spot.
Incredibly, Accies took the lead three minutes later when McCarey let a weak effort from Marios Ogkmpoe squirm under his body before watching the ball roll into the net.
The County supporters could scarcely believe what they had seen and the belief seemed to evaporate among the home players as a game in which they had been in total control had been turned on its head.
Schalk and Mckay went close with efforts for the home side but Accies looked comfortable until Staggies captain Davies headed Schalk’s corner past Woods with 15 minutes remaining to haul his side out of the mire and set up a frantic finale. Substitute
Michael Gardyne picked out fellow sub Craig Curran at the back post but he blasted his effort high over the crossbar as County’s late push for a winner fell short.
ROSS COUNTY (3-5-2) – McCarey 5, Fraser 7 (Gardyne 84), Naismith 7, Routis 6, Chow 6 (Curran 72), Schalk 6, Davies 7, Draper 6, Lindsay 6, Mckay 6, Fontaine 6. Subs not used – Fox, Dow, Ngog, O’Brien, Melbourne.
HAMILTON ACCIES (4-1-4-1) – Woods 6, McMann 6, Jenkins 5, Tomas 5, van der Weg 6, Templeton 6 (Redmond 78), Rojano 4 (Imrie 46), Lyon 5, Ferguson 5, Want 5, Ogkmpoe 6 (Bingham 81). Subs not used – Fulton, Miller, Hughes, Cunningham.
Referee – Kevin Clancy 7
Attendance: 3,586.
Man of the match: Andrew Davies.
