Nicky Low spotted Accies keeper Robbie Thomson off his line, but the midfielder’s audacious effort from the centre circle was wide of the mark. Low tried to pick out Mark Smith with a quick free kick, but the frontman couldn’t connect with the pass.
Gramoz Kurtaj did well to work space at the top of the Dundee area but his curling effort was just off target. Richard Roy found space inside the Dundee box but the Trialist did well to clear the danger. With 21 minutes played the ball fell to Roy inside the area following a corner, but his snap shot was well off target.
With 26 minutes gone, Kurtaj got in behind the Dundee backline but his low drive was well saved by Calum Ferrie. Yordi Teijse got on the end of a long ball from Kerr Waddell, but failed to trouble Thomson with his left foot shot. As half time approached, Dundee lost Nicky Low to injury and the midfielder was replaced by Sam Dryden.
The Dee’s reshuffled at the start of the second half. Matty Smyth pushed into midfield, with the trialist going into the heart of defence, and Sam Dryden slotting in at right back.
With 51 minutes played, the Dees created a golden opportunity to take the lead. Jesse Curran’s left foot cross was met by Teijse, who sent his header crashing against the crossbar. The rebound fell kindly for the Dutchman but his second attempt was kept out by Thomson. The ball then fell for Mark Smith, who sent his effort from six yards out against the crossbar, before the ball was cleared by a Hamilton defender.
Teijse was beginning to cause Hamilton issues and saw his low effort turned away by Thomson after 54 minutes. The Dutchman got on the end of a header from Kerr Waddell following a corner, but hooked his effort wide. Sean McKirdy’s effort from the top of the box was well held by Ferrie after the hour mark.
With 20 minutes remaining, Accies took the lead. Substitute Marc Kelly jinked his way through the Dundee defenders but saw his effort saved by Ferrie. Fortunately for Accies, McKirdy was on hand to turn the ball in from close range.
Dundee replaced Mark Smith with Kyle Clark and the substitute could have equalised with his first touch. Clark got on the end of Ian Smith’s defence splitting pass but Thomson did well to smother Clark’s shot. With eight minutes remaining, Clark got on the end of a cross from Sam Dryden, but couldn’t direct his effort on target.
With three minutes remaining, the visitors wrapped up the victory in controversial circumstances. Dundee felt Matty Smyth should have been awarded a free kick but the referee gave the decision Hamilton’s way. The free kick was taken quickly to Kurtaj, who played in Bingham and Hamilton’s summer signing stroked the ball past Ferrie, consigning the Dee’s to their first defeat of the league campaign.
For the Dee’s this result will come as a major disappointment after last week’s result. The loss of Nicky Low in midfield was clear to see. Up front, Mark Smith and Yordi Teijse failed to ask the Hamilton defenders enough questions over the course of the 90 minutes. In Dundee’s defence, Kerr Waddell, Matty Smyth and Conor Quigley all impressed again.
Dundee: Ferrie, Trialist, Smyth, Waddell, Quigley, Curran, Low (Dryden 40), Coupe (Berry 80), M. Smith (Clark 71), I. Smith, Teijse
Subs Unused: Gourlay (GK)
Hamilton: Thomson, Boyd, McMann, Want, Breslin, Hughes, McKirdy (Quitongo 76), Ferguson, Roy (Kelly 55), Kurtaj, Bingham
Subs Unused: Alexander (GK), O’Halloran, Connelly
Goals: McKirdy 69’, Bingham 87’
