Hamilton Academical 1-1 Aberdeen

Dougie Imrie levelled for Accies in the 70th minute

Aberdeen missed a chance to go second in the Scottish Premiership, drawing a goal apiece with Hamilton Academical.

The Dons claimed an early lead through Kenny McLean's powerful half-volley.

But Dougie Imrie levelled for the hosts, who move to sixth place, on 70 minutes, tapping in after Gramoz Kurtaj's shot was saved by Danny Ward.

A furious Kurtaj was denied a penalty after Shay Logan's handball and Jonny Hayes struck the crossbar for Aberdeen in a frantic final 10 minutes.

Hamilton took to the pitch in the French national change strip as a tribute to those who suffered in the Paris atrocities.

There was only one change to the Dons' side, skipper Ryan Jack sidelined with an ankle injury that might also keep him out next week, with Niall McGinn replacing him - an able deputy, indeed, as the 90 minutes were to prove.

Accies, meanwhile, with no wins in their last five matches, were still without Ali Crawford and Jesus Garcia Tenna. The afternoon simply underlined how much they missed the ever-effervescent Crawford, their marquee player.

He surely would have provided the calm head that would have cashed in on a queue of chances that fell the way of his team-mates.

Twice they tormented Ward in the opening three minutes, the goalie saving from Imrie and sweating as Grant Gillespie all-but shaved his left post.

Kenny McLean opened the scoring with a half-volley beyond Michael McGovern

And yet, with just four minutes on the clock, it was Aberdeen who were ahead with a goal that was an exercise in simplicity.

A ball over the top found McGinn down the right and his cross was a sheer delight. It was behind Rooney, but not the ever-alert McLean, who lashed home from penalty spot territory off the crossbar.

After this electric start, the first half descended into fare peppered with wayward passes and slack defending, mainly from Aberdeen.

Derek McInnnes' side really do seem to have an issue with self-belief, their backline illustrating a premature spirit of Christmas generosity. Hamilton, though, were curiously reluctant to open the gifts.

It was near-ridiculous, actually, that Accies were behind at half-time, although there was one miraculous save from Michael McGovern that underlined that, at times, the Dons were at least capable of menace.

For the hosts, there was so much graft with so little reward. Take, for example, a lung-bursting 60-yard run from young Greg Docherty that provided entertainment and rapturous applause, but with a cross that floated into the arms of Ward - no cutting edge.

Or so it seemed.

Hamilton scored in the 70th minute, exactly when Aberdeen seemed totally in control. The goal was a simple finish for Imrie - with a hint of offside - after a fine save by Ward diverted the ball into his path.

It stunned and delighted sections of the 2,434 crowd in equal measure.

Hamilton were aggrieved by a handball decision against Logan that brought a free-kick and not a penalty.

Kurtaj's consternation was such that he was down on all-fours beating the ground and, sure enough, it became increasingly curious when the set-piece was taken on the line of the area.

So, if that was exactly the scene of the crime, it should have been a spot kick.

It was a Sunday on which little was going to make sense.