Hamilton 1, Ayr Utd 1: Kennedy's Accies magic cancelled out as Ayr earn point

Hamilton Accies were forced to settle for a point as Ayr United fought back to draw at New Douglas Park.

Rangers' loanee Kai Kennedy got off the mark early on, on his first start for Accies, but Ayr sub Sam Ashford levelled 12 minutes into the second half.

There wasn't too much more to it than that, though Hamilton will be kicking themselves for not making more of their chances when they were on top in the first half - particularly with Ronan Hughes' penalty miss.

However, Ashford passed up a chance to win it, with 10 minutes left.

Hamilton dominated the first half and should have been further ahead at the interval, but didn't do enough with their chances.

Kennedy put them ahead early on and David Moyo could have had a hat-trick, had his timing been better, while Ronan Hughes sent a penalty crashing off the top of the bar.

At the other end, Sean McGinty put a good chance past the right post after Accies keeper Joe Hilton had fumbled a Daire O'Connor corner.

In the second half Accies invited their visitors on top of them and that had a predictable result in 67 minutes when sub Ashcroft drew Ayr level, and he had a chance to win it with 10 minutes left, after being sent through on goal.

Accies head coach Stuart Taylor made four changes from the side that lost to Dunfermline on January 15, with Kennedy, Kieran MacDonald, Josh Mullin and Moyo in for Matthew Shiels, Miko Virtanen, Andy Winter and Andy Ryan.

His Ayr counterpart Lee Bullen made three changes to the side that exited the Scottish Cup fourth round, at the hands of St Mirren last weekend. New signing Ben Dempsey, O'Connor and Tomi Adeloye came in for James Maxwell, Mark McKenzie and Michael Moffat.

Accies looked the brighter from the start and took the lead after