Wednesday 17 May 2017 18:41, UK
Motherwell secured their Premiership survival at the expense of Hamilton on the back of their own 3-1 win over Kilmarnock and Accies' 3-2 defeat at Ross County on Tuesday night.
It means Accies face a relegation play-off at best on a night when they needed to record a second away win of the season to give them hope of automatic survival but they were sunk by Jonathan Franks' late winner in Dingwall.
On a night of contrasts, there was unbridled joy at Fir Park as they secured for a 33rd consecutive season in the top flight, Carl McHugh (1) setting the tone with a perfectly timed run to meet Elliott Frear's corner with a sweet left-footed strike.
But when Motherwell skipper Keith Lasley failed to deal with Jordan Jones' cross, Adam Frizzell (17) accepted the gift, his low shot sneaking in at the post.
Lionel Ainsworth (53) soothed the home fans' nerves and restored the Fir Park side's advantage and Frear (78) made it 3-1 with a composed finish, his first goal for the club.
At Victoria Park, County, their top-flight safety guaranteed, went ahead inside two minutes as Michael Gardyne curled a delightful effort beyond the grasp of Remi Matthews.
The Accies were rattled but their mood improved markedly when Ali Crawford's free-kick broke kindly to Rakish Bingham (26). who swept in from six yards.
Bingham struck the inside of the goal-frame as the visitors pressed and free-kick specialist Crawford then saw his deadball effort come back off the frame of Scott Fox's goal.
Fox somehow kept out Greg Docherty's close-range effort before Jim O'Brien's shot came back off the post and went in off Matthews (73) but David Templeton scored his first Accies goal two minutes later to make it 2-2.
But Franks was to have the final say (90) with a well-struck half-volley leaving Martin Canning's men in deep trouble.
Whichever side does finish in 11th place will face a two-legged affair to preserve their Premiership status against either Dundee United or Falkirk, who are tied at 2-2 after a cracking play-off semi-final first leg.
Simon Murray (16) latched onto Cammy Bell's long ball give the hosts the first goal but James Craigen (27) equalised with a crisp volley.
Blair Spittal (53) restored United's advantage only for Joe McKee to level six minutes later with the goal of the night, a sweet free-kick. The return leg is in Falkirk on Friday evening.
