Kilmarnock 1-0 Hamilton Academical (AET): Dom Thomas goal puts host into quarter-final
- Published
Dom Thomas scored an extra-time winner for Kilmarnock
Dom Thomas' dramatic extra-time goal put Kilmarnock into the League Cup quarter-finals after a hard-fought game with Hamilton at Rugby Park.
It is the first time the Ayrshire side have made the last eight since 2011-12, the year they won the trophy.
Killie dominated but had struggled to find a breakthrough, similar to last week's league game between the pair.
Kirk Broadfoot and Eamonn Brophy were guilty of missing chances before Thomas' late winner.
Curious tactics
The teams had fought out a drab match which featured a first half in which an organised but toothless Hamilton failed to trouble home goalkeeper Laurentiu Branescu.
It was Angelo Alessio's side, eager to make amends for a last week's 2-0 defeat to the Accies, who made all the running. Stephen O'Donnell had a rasping drive and Broadfoot put a header from within the six-yard box into the hands of Owen Fon Williams.
As early as 20 minutes the visiting goalkeeper was spoken to by referee Kevin Clancy for time wasting.
Chances were thin on the ground, though Liam Millar blasted a second-half chance over the bar with the goal at his mercy.
That was nothing compared to the extra-time shocker when Marios Ogkmpoe screwed the ball past the post from three yards.
But in the end Fon Wiliams' time wasting came back to haunt him as Thomas scrambled a winner, and Killie hung on for a place in the last eight.
Man of the match - Jamie Hamilton
The award should really be withheld because no-one put their name up in lights in this drag of a game.
But Accies' 17-year-old Jamie Hamilton can be mightily happy with his debut for the club with whom he shares a name.
He was calm and cool in central defence.
'Another solution needed' - post-match reaction
Kilmarnock manager Angelo Alessio: "I hope either tomorrow or Monday to have another player in. Maybe in the next week. We need another striker, a winger, and another centre back. We need another solution."
Hamilton manager Brian Rice: "I had a team of kids playing out there today. They played their heart out, gave everything they had. In my opinion they were the better team, didn't deserve to lose that. I was delighted with everyone today."