A blistering start from Hamilton Accies earned the bragging rights on derby day, as rock-bottom Airdrie fell to a fourth consecutive Championship defeat.
Connor Smith’s strike inside the second minute and a Sam Graham own goal with just nine minutes on the clock put Accies on easy street in North Lanarkshire, before Kevin O’Hara and substitute Dylan McGowan netted in the second half to seal the points.
John Rankin’s men have now picked up back-to-back wins in the league to sixth and piled the misery on their neighbours, who have won just once in their last 14 games and remain four points adrift at the foot of the table ahead of a visit to leaders Falkirk next week.
The defeat for Airdrie also saw Rhys McCabe’s side fail to score for the third game on the bounce.
Airdrie made four changes from Tuesday’s loss at Raith Rovers as out went goalkeeper Murray Johnson, Cammy Cooper, Rhys Armstrong and Murray Aiken. In came Kieran Wright, Chris Mochrie and Terrell Agyemang., while Lewis McGrattan returned from a two-game suspension. New signing Flynn Duffy started on the bench.
The visitors made one change from their 3-0 win over Morton last week with Steven Bradley replacing Ben Williamson in the midfield.
And within two minutes Accies were in front. A great counter-attacking move from Accies saw the ball worked to Steven Bradley and when his inital strike in the box was blocked, Smith kept his cool to smash home the rebound from just inside the box.
It was almost 2-0 just seconds later as rattled Airdrie almost shot themselves in the foot. Shaw pounced on a Sam Graham slip right on the edge of the penalty area and last week’s hat-trick hero tried to curl a strike into the far corner, which Wright was able to parry away.
A small minority of the home fans didn’t take the poor start from their side well. A few from the home section rushed towards the South Stand, housing the Accies supporters, leading to one fan being ejected by stewards.
Accies didn’t have to wait long to double their lead, with the second goal coming inside nine minutes. Accies took a quick free-kick on the left with Bradley feeding Smith and when the latter cut inside his marker, he tried to curl a strike into the far corner which deflected off the chest of Graham and into his own net.
The visitors continued to have Airdrie on the rocks and it should have been 3-0 in 19 minutes when Kevin O’Hara’s cross found Henderson in the box. He forced a good save from Wright and when the rebound fell to Shaw, he somehow skewed the ball wide.
Airdrie looked for a response and Albinson had to be in top form to keep out a fierce effort from Lewis McGregor.
Bradley spurned a great chance to extend the visitors’ advantage in 34 minutes when a lovely cross from Shaw picked him out at the back post. However, the midfielder’s sidefoot volley flew wide of the target.
(Image: Paul Thomson)
In 45 minutes an astonishing Gordon Banks-esque save from Albinson kept the Diamonds out. A cross from the right found McGregor and his powerful downward header looked destined for the net until Albinson got down to his right to scoop the ball onto the bar and over.
Oli Shaw thought he’d made it 3-0 on the stroke of half-time when he turned home Stephen Hendrie’s cross buthe was flagged for offside and an enthralling first half came to a close.
Three minutes into the second half, Ben Wilson had a glorious opportunity to bring Airdrie back into it when a cross fell to him unmarked at the back post, but he blazed the ball high and wide.
That came back to bite them in 54 minutes when Accies made it 3-0. A good old fashioned stramash in the box saw Shaw’s intital shot saved, then a second bite at the cherry headed onto the bar via a deflection before O’Hara rifled the rebound into the net.
In 68 minutes Albinson was again in top form as he denied Cammy Cooper from point-blank range and it was clearly not going to be the Diamonds’ day. McGregor then fizzed a fierce strike just over the bar as the hosts continued to be frustrated.
Accies put some gloss on the scoreline nine minutes from time when Smith whipped in a free-kick and substitute Dylan McGowan rose well to power home a header into the bottom corner.
Airdrie are back in action next Saturday when they travel to Championship leaders Falkirk, while Accies host second-place Livingston.
AIRDRIE: Wright, Watson, Badley-Morgan, Bruce (Duffy 46), Graham, Mochrie (Armstrong 61), McGrattan, Frizzell, Agyemang (Gallagher 27), McGregor, Wilson (Cooper 61).
Scorers:
Bookings: Agyemang, Watson
Subs not used: Johnson, Taylor-Sinclair, White, D Williams, C Williams.
HAMILTON: Albinson, Tumilty, McGinty, Kilday (McGowan 33), Hendrie (Longridge 60), Henderson (Barjonas 60), Smith, Martin, O’Hara, Bradley (McKinstry 72), Shaw (Todorov 72).
Scorers: Smith 2, Graham 9 (og), O’Hara 54, McGowan 81
Bookings: McGowan
Subs not used: Lyness, Olunfunwa, O’Connor, Morgan.
HT: 0-2
Ref: Euan Anderson