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Coach Derek McInnes harbored offside suspicions and praised goalkeeper Joe Lewis when Aberdeen tied at Hamilton.
Ryan Hedges shot the Dons ahead in the first half only for Accies to equalize with a header from Marios Ogkmpoe, while Lewis made a fabulous late save.
The visitors, returning to third place in the Premiership, were convinced that the tie should not have been maintained.
“I’ve looked at it back and I think Ogkmpoe is half a yard offside,” McInnes said.
“I haven’t seen it from a better angle but I thought at the time that I had to be offside to get a free header.
I don’t think it’s a free kick that leads to goal.
It is never a free throw.
I feel like we are too tall, but we have to trust the officers.
“Hamilton showed real spirit and they could have done more, Joe Lewis had a brilliant save with the last kick of the ball.
Lewis somehow managed to throw a hand to avoid a fierce blow from substitute David Moyo and ensure his team is now one point better than Hibernian, while bottom line Hamilton has halted a five-game losing streak in the league and trimmed the gap at St Mirren to three points.
Ryan Fulton also made a good late save to avoid a low, steady shot from Matty Kennedy, while Ryan Hedges’ follow-up was headed clear by Lee Hodson.
Fulton had earlier pushed a powerful shot from Sam Cosgrove to a post moments after Hedges opened the scoring.
In the 19th minute, Hedges, encouraged during the first half, directed a shot home from 16 yards as the ball made its way off a pass to Cosgrove’s feet.
With the hosts extremely passive and not managing a single effort on goal, Aberdeen were allowed to dominate for long periods.
But Lewis, a spectator for the first 45 minutes, was beaten early in the second half when his defenders held a high line and claimed in vain for offside when Ogkmpoe headed off a deep pitch from Scott McMann.
Aberdeen, who had 68% possession before the break, was suddenly in a tight spot, with Accies buoyed by their draw and much sharper and more aggressive.
The remainder of the game played out in a messy fashion until a late flurry of action at the goal and those impressive saves from Fulton and Lewis.
Man of the match – Marios Ogkmpoe What did we learn? Aberdeen was left without a host of key players, including midfielders Lewis Ferguson and Ross McCrorie, and their physical presence and quality were sorely missed when Accies decided to put up a fight.
Dean Campbell was right to set the pace in the middle of the park in the first half, but the teenager doesn’t usually have as much time on the ball.
Kennedy and Greg Leigh didn’t offer much on the flanks, with Cosgrove increasingly isolated at the top as Hedges’ influence waned.
Halfway through, it looked like Accies was looking at another loss, but they got closer to their opponents and played higher on the field, with much more purpose, and this point gives head coach Brian Rice something to build on for. the busy period of December.
What did they say? Brian Rice, director of Hamilton Academical: “The last two games have given me great confidence, I can see that confidence comes back to the players.
It is imperative that we try to stay in this league, we will continue to work and improve.
Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes: “We were very good in the first half, I thought we controlled the game and we deservedly got ahead, but at half-time we said we didn’t want to give Hamilton any encouragement.
“I think the performance was good, considering we have so many (players) out and guys who haven’t played much football.”
“What’s next? Aberdeen will go to St Mirren on Saturday to fight for a place in the last eight of the League Cup (17:15 GMT).
Hamilton did not make it past the group stage of that competition and must wait until December 5 when Kilmarnock visits him in league service.
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