Hamilton beat Airdrieonians on penalties in Betfred Cup

Posted Sunday, July 29, 2018 by PA

Hamilton gained a Betfred Cup bonus point with a 3-0 penalty shoot-out win against Airdrieonians after a 1-1 draw at the Hope CBD Stadium.

Accies striker Rakish Bingham scored with a drive in the 61st minute before substitute Joao Vitoria levelled with seven minutes remaining.

Hamilton keeper Gary Woods then saved the first three spot-kicks from Ryan Conroy, Sean Crighton and Dale Carrick with Adam Phillips, Sam Kelly and Bingham netting for the Ladbrokes Premiership side.

Neither side have gained enough points to go through to the knockout stages.

An encouraging start by Accies saw Bingham’s header from close range saved by Scott Gallacher and the Diamonds keeper made another save from the Hamilton attacker’s volley from a Steven Boyd cross.

However, Airdrie matched up well to their Lanarkshire rivals in the first half and striker Darryl Duffy had two chances in a minute, the first when the 34-year-old drilled a shot from 16 yards wide.

Moments later, Duffy headed a Josh Edwards cross onto the bar before Woods hooked the loose ball away for a corner which came to nothing.

Within minutes of the restart Woods dived low to his right to push a Carrick drive past the post after a clever one-two with Duffy had opened up the Hamilton defence.

Accies forged ahead after a poor clearance from keeper Gallacher ended up with Boyd, who played in Mickel Miller, and when he knocked the ball into Bingham his low drive beat Gallacher.

However, Stephen Findlay’s side kept plugging away and when Duffy set up Vitoria, on for Jonathan Page three minutes earlier, he rifled his shot low past Woods for a deserved equaliser.