REPORT: Hamilton 0 - 1 Dundee
Paul McGowan came back to haunt his old club as Dundee grabbed their first win in 11 games against an uncharacteristically poor Hamilton side.
McGowan, who was on loan at New Douglas Park in his Celtic days struck on 61 minutes, driving a Kevin Holt cross past Gary Woods from 12 yards.
It was no more than the Dark Blues deserved, in a game they dominated.
The win also pulls Dundee to within a point of second-bottom Ross County. It was a first defeat in five for Accies.
Hamilton started really well and in the opening 40 seconds Grant Gillespie picked out Eamonn Brophy inside the box. The striker appeared to be pulled down but the ball broke to Ali Crawford, who fired over from just outside the box.
Dundee then took a grip of the game and were perhaps unfortunate not to be ahead at the interval.
After five minutes Tom Hateley's corner from the right was met with an angled header by Julen Etxabeguren, which flashed just past the right post corner.
A minute later Kostadin Gadzhalov timed his run perfectly to clear after Crawford had sent Brophy through.
Dundee had another promising chance after 18 minutes when Craig Wighton broke down the left but he slipped his shot just past the near post.
A minute later the home side had a chance. Alex D'Acol's throw-in from the left was knocked on for Greg Docherty, but he sent a dipping shot bouncing just past the left post.
The hosts then created their best move of the game, but D'col sent a shot just over the top right corner from 20 yards.
Dundee could have taken the lead after 26 minutes. Wighton broke down the left and created a chance for Marcus Haber who could only flick his shot past the right post as he slid in.
Hamilton had another half-chance as the first half came to a close, but Crawford fired over from just outside the box from a Brophy knock-down.
After 59 minutes Docherty broke free on the right and delivered a deep cross that was well headed by Imrie, but cleared for a corner.
Two minutes later McGowan got on the end of Holt's cross 12 yards out to give the visitors the lead.
It became scrappy after the goal with a lot of Accies moves ending with referee Stephen Finnie's whistle as their frustration mounted.
Dundee nearly put the result beyond doubt after 82 minutes when Holt went on a terrific run down the left and squared for Hateley, but his shot was well blocked by Lennard Sowah.
Dundee manger Paul Hartley said his side deserved their win but warned it will count for nothing if they lack fight in their coming games.
Hartley said: That's the minimum we expect from them now, the players know that, they're a great bunch of players to work with - they're honest, and just haven't had the results.
That was a different Dundee and we're going to be looking for that between now and the end of the season. We have to fight for every result. We might not always win, but as long as I see on the pitch what I saw there I'll be happy.
I'm delighted for the players - we deserved that, we fought, we stuck together and I'm pleased for the group.
We had a good week, in terms of speaking, and some good stuff on the training pitch. We were all honest with each other, said we're going to fix it together, and we're going to fight every week, and every day in training - I don't mean punches, but to fight together and show a real desire and attitude.
That was a different Dundee team, a team that wanted it, the attitude was great, and all over the pitch, in every department, we deserved that.''