Hamilton Accies boss John Rankin says his side showed a massive reaction to dig out a result against Raith Rovers on Tuesday night.
First goals for the club from captain Dylan McGowan and striker Benny Ashley-Seal turned around a 1-0 deficit through Steve Lawson’s headed own-goal to provide a priceless win at Stark’s Park, though Jean-Pierre Tiehi was shown a straight red card in stoppage time for kicking out at an opponent after he was fouled.
The result takes Accies off the foot of the Championship table, above Saturday’s visitors Cove Rangers by two points, and with a game in hand.
Rankin says it was a superb reaction to Saturday’s 7-0 hammering by Dundee at Dens Park, and praised his players.
He said: “It’s a massive win. All I wanted was a reaction from my players to show that Saturday was a one-off.
“We haven’t been there in the second half of the season since December, that had never happened, but when I look at us on Saturday we looked like a team that didn’t work, didn’t run, didn’t battle. We were unrecognisable.
“On Tuesday that identity was back – they worked, they grafted, they fought for one another, and everything associated with a Hamilton team was there.
“I’m delighted for them.
“I’ve never been involved in a 7-0 before, but with the noise and the determination amongst them on Sunday, I knew I was getting a performance.
“I didn’t know I was getting a win, you’d never say that, but I knew there was a performance in them, and they certainly gave us that.”
After a goal-less first half disaster struck in 48 minutes when Lewis Vaughan’s free kick was nodded past Ryan Fulton by Steve Lawson for an own-goal.
McGowan levelled from a Connor Smith cross in 60 minutes, and the on-loan Hearts kid set up Benny Ashley-Seal for what proved to be the winner four minutes later.
“I thought Benny was phenomenal,” said Rankin. “He led the line really well, put himself about and gave us everything we knew he would.
“I’m absolutely delighted for him – there’s no better feeling for a striker than getting your first goal for the club.
“I speak all the time about ‘leadership’ and Dylan McGowan did that, he dragged us out of a bad moment in the game.”
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