REPORT: Hamilton 1 – St Johnstone 1
Liam Craig struck eight minutes from time to secure St Johnstone a 1-1 draw against Hamilton.
Liam Craig struck eight minutes from time to secure St Johnstone a 1-1 draw against Hamilton in an entertaining match at the SuperSeal Stadium on Sunday.
Hamilton went into the fixture rock bottom of the Premiership but they took a 37th-minute lead thanks to Greg Docherty's volley.
However, Craig reacted quickest to a loose ball in the Accies area late on to guarantee a share of the spoils.
A point was still enough to lift Hamilton off the foot of the table and into 10th while Saints remain fourth in the standings.
The hosts made two enforced changes as injured duo Michael Devlin and Darren Lyon bowed out, with Dan Seaborne returning to the team and dropping to left-back, while Docherty took his usual berth in midfield.
St Johnstone also made two changes to the side that beat Hearts 1-0 at McDiarmid Park last week as Blair Alston and Danny Swanson came in for Paul Paton and Steven MacLean.
Hamilton made an assured start and had the first chance when a terrific chip down the right by Grant Gillespie released Eamonn Brophy, but Saints goalkeeper Zander Clark did well to charge the ball down at the expense of a corner.
At the other end, Swanson's free-kick from the left was headed just past the near post by Graham Cummins, although Remi Matthews appeared to have it covered.
On the half-hour Swanson pounced on Massimo Donati's misplaced pass and made a good run through the middle, which ended with Craig's shot being hacked away from the six-yard box by Georgios Sarris.
Four minutes later Swanson went on another run and picked out Michael Coulson just outside the box, but he blasted past the right post with Matthews at full stretch.
St Johnstone were then punished for failing to take their chances as Hamilton took the lead eight minutes before half-time.
Ali Crawford's free-kick on the right was headed across goal by Alex D'Acol and when Saints did not clear their lines, Docherty volleyed into the net.
St Johnstone almost levelled immediately after falling behind when Swanson's corner on the left was met by Murray Davidson's header, only for D'Acol to clear off the line.
The second half began in torrential rain, which perhaps explained a flat opening few minutes before Craig had a rising shot superbly clawed over the bar by Matthews.
On the hour Darian MacKinnon looked to be harshly penalised as Davidson clashed with him just outside the box, but Craig sent the free-kick whistling past the left post.
Docherty picked out Imrie on the left midway through the second half but his shot whistled past the right, via a deflection. From Crawford's corner Sarris' header was well saved.
A minute later Imrie's cross from the left was allowed to reach Docherty at the back post but his shot was blocked.
Saints levelled with eight minutes left when Alston's drilled effort from the right was parried by Matthews and Craig buried the rebound.