HAMILTON couldn’t deliver a victory for their fans in their final home match of the campaign but, having secured their top-flight status several weeks earlier, the result was aptly academical. A first-half goal from Danny Devine secured the victory for Inverness Caledonian Thistle who are now in good shape to finish in seventh place.

Hamilton ended the game with 10 men after Darian MacKinnon was sent off with 15 minutes to go having received two bookings in the space of around 10 seconds, the second for dissent. The decision so irked the midfielder that he had to be eventually shoved up the tunnel by his bench before he landed himself in any further bother.

“I didn’t think it was a foul for the first booking,” said manager Martin Canning. “The referee then said he swore at him but people swear all the time in a match.”

Before that flashpoint it had all been predictably pedestrian, reflecting the fact there was very little at stake for either club. Hamilton showed marginally greater adventure. Carlton Morris threatened twice in the first half, heading over with one chance and then fizzing in a shot that also sailed over the top. There was a golden opportunity, too, for Steven Boyd who, on his first start for the club, snatched at his shot and sent it spiralling wide. It was Inverness, however, who went in front four minutes before half-time. Iain Vigurs bisected the Hamilton defence and Devine was able to slide the ball under Michael McGovern for his second goal of the season.

Liam Polworth could have secured a second for Inverness early in the second half only to thrash his shot against McGovern, before Hamilton fashioned their first shot on goal when Eamonn Brophy’s attempt was pushed away by Owain Fon Williams.

MacKinnon’s red card seemed to end any chance of a Hamilton comeback but only a terrific fingertip save from the goalkeeper kept out a flicked header from Morris that seemed destined for the net, ensuring the win for Inverness. “It was all about coming here and winning so all credit to the players,” said manager John Hughes.