Accies took on Clyde at Broadwood Stadium in a match that not only had implications for second spot in the division, but also saw old scores to be settled with the former Clyde manager Billy Reid jumping ship to Hamilton at the tail end of last season, taking some of his old players in the process.
The home side almost got off to the perfect start as they pressed the play early in the match. The sprightly Eddie Malone raced down the touchline and crossed for the highly- coveted Tom Brighton to bullet his header towards goal, but the former Rangers hitman was unlucky to see his effort cannon back off the crossbar.
A stroke of fortune was the contributory factor for Clyde taking the lead on the half hour mark. Midfielder Stephen O'Donnell picked up a loose ball, and struck a straight effort at goal from 25 yards. En route to the target, the ball took a wicked deflection off Alex Neil which totally wrong-footed keeper Raymond Jellema, subsequently trundling weakly over the line.
Craig Bryson should have extended Clyde's, lead but the winger shot over when the goal was gaping just before half-time.
Accies earned a penalty in the 51st minute. Chris Higgins upended Mark Gilhaney in the box and Brian Carrigan stepped up to take the spot-kick against his former side. Despite Carrigan's stuttering run-up designed to put off Peter Cherrie, the young goalkeeper guessed correctly to foil Hamilton's top scorer.
The Bully Wee broke immediately and were awarded a free-kick 20 yards from goal when O'Donnell was upended by Neil. The midfielder dusted himself down before curling an effort around the wall and under the body of the hapless Jellema to double Clyde's lead.
Accies quickly fought their way back into the match. In the 59th minute Carrigan's in- swinging corner found the head of assistant manager Stuart Balmer, who bulleted his header home from six yards.
Clyde were reeling at that point and conceded another goal only two minutes later. Debut boy Carricondo Perez Juanjo slotted a neat through ball to fellow Spaniard Rudy Torres, who clipped the ball over the onrushing Cherrie.
The Bully Wee should have won the match in the 67th minute as Brighton beat Jellema to a through ball, but the striker managed to slot the ball wide with the goalmouth gaping.
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