Hamilton head coach happy with Accies SWPL 1 improvement ahead of season finale

Hamilton Women’s boss Gary Doctor hopes that his side’s recent run of SWPL 1 matches has proven their ability to mix it at that level.

The New Douglas Park side secured a last-gasp 2-1 victory away at Partick Thistle on Sunday thanks to goals from Kirstie McIntosh and Lindsey Blues, the latter netting in additional time to spark jubilant scenes.

It was a complete contrast from their previous game against Hibs – who they lost to 4-0 on Wednesday – where they conceded in that period to draw 2-2.

Accies are bottom and four points off ninth-placed Hearts and eighth-placed Thistle ahead of their final home match against Spartans.

Their league campaign will leave them 10th, but a restructuring process this summer as elite women’s football in Scotland becomes the SPFL’s responsibility means relegation won’t beckon.

Doctor said: “We dropped two points against Hibs in stoppage time earlier this month and then on Sunday we picked up two points during that period.

“That’s how it can go sometimes. It certainly wasn’t a game for football purists as it was a tough watch at times. But we stayed competitive and we wasted some attacking chances.

“It gives everybody a huge boost. We felt really hard done-by against Hibs with the late goal against us. But it just shows you the classic highs and lows of football.”

While acknowledging it has been a tough term following their promotion to SWPL 1 from the second tier last season, Doctor reckons his side have shown they can compete at the top table.

And he says beating Motherwell in the Lanarkshire derby while following up their draw with Hibs by defeating Thistle is proof of this.

Doctor added: “I think closing the points gap gives players that bit more belief. I think we are now at seven