John Rankin's time in charge of Hamilton started with a defeat as fellow Championship club Dundee clinched a 3-0 win at Dens Park in their Premier Sports Cup Group H opener.
Niall McGinn put the Dark Blues into a first half lead with former Dundee United midfielder Rankin getting his spell as Accies head coach underway against former rivals.
Soon after half-time the Dens club's lead was doubled from the penalty spot via a cool Alex Jakubiak spot-kick. Brian Easton was then sent off as Rankin's men finished with 10 men.
There was little resistance to their fate from a Hamilton side still building ahead of league business beginning against Morton on July 30th, with Lyall Cameron's late effort finishing them off.
Next up for the South Lanarkshire outfit is a home match with League Two club Stranraer on Tuesday. Queen's Park's victory over Hamilton's midweek opponents leaves them bottom via goal difference,
Hamilton were focused on football after a turbulent summer. Previous head coach Stuart Taylor's exit from South Lanarkshire was drawn out and eventually Rankin took charge with the clock ticking down towards this match.
Two new signings were made before this game in the form of former Coventry City talent Jonathan Ngandu and Michael Doyle after his departure from fellow second tier side Queen's Park.
Sam Fisher headed the first home chance over the bar on three minutes with an Accies free-kick opening up for Steve Lawson at the other end.
It came to nothing though and McGinn's tame effort on the away goal capped off an uneventful first 15 minutes. Both sides could still be considered as in pre-season mode and that showed early doors.
McGinn wouldn't be denied a second time though as Dundee broke on Hamilton. He wriggled past his marker and fired a shot low and off the post to put his team ahead. A ball across the box by Andy Ryan almost handed them an instant response three minutes later but Andy Winter couldn't follow in to convert.
Ryan was Rankin's key man in attack and Scott Martin's through ball presented him with a chance, but he was taken wide and forced an effort high on 32 minutes. Early season frustrations had kicked in for some fans as the players were asked for better heading down the tunnel, but both teams looked like they were still shaking off cobwebs.
As a contest, the game didn't last long after half-time. Paul McGowan drove into the box three minutes after coming on a sub, brought down by Hamilton defender Shaun Want. Jakubiak stepped up to give his side a two-goal cushion their opponents never looked like making a dent in.
Ryan had an effort on 54 minutes but the next goal should have came for Dundee on the hour-mark, goalkeeper Ryan Fulton doing superbly well to deny Josh Mulligan from scoring.
Dan O'Reilly had an effort on 70 minutes tipped over the bar but whatever tempo was in the game had begun to fade. Their task did get tougher though in the final quarter with Easton's dismissal, but the game was done before then.
If it wasn't, Lyall Cameron's goal as the match reached 90 minutes certainly did, with the final whistle blown moments later.
Dundee XI: Sharp; Kerr, Marshall (Wilkie, 45), Sweeney, Byrne, McGinn (McCowan, 60) Mulligan, McMullan (70, Cameron), Rudden (Jakubiak, 45), Anderson (McGowan, 45), Fisher.
Subs: Lawlor, Strachan, Graham, Lamb.
Hamilton XI: Fulton; Doyle (84, Owens), Want, Easton, O'Reilly, Shiels (One, 79), Lawson, Spence (Ngandu, 52), Ryan, Winter (L Smith, 52).
Subs: J Smith, Brown, Mimnaugh, McGinn.
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