Thursday 12 May 2016 21:38, UK
Hamilton and Partick Thistle preserved their Scottish Premiership status with away wins on Saturday, leaving Kilmarnock to contest an end of season play-off fixture against either Hibernian or Falkirk.
While Hamilton won 1-0 in Dundee, Partick beat Kilmarnock 2-0 at Rugby Park thanks to goals from Steven Lawless and Kris Doolan.
With two matches remaining, Kilmarnock are seven points adrift of Hamilton whose victory at Dens Park came courtesy of an early Carlton Morris goal.
Morris latched on to Ziggy Gordon's assist to score with a low shot after just eight minutes, to stun Dundee, who were hoping to cement seventh spot in the table.
Dundee should have levelled matters midway through the first half but Nick Ross fired wide with an open goal at his mercy.
An unmarked Jesus Garcia Tena headed wide from close range, as the visitors missed a glorious opportunity to extend their advantage.
It was then the turn of Lucas Tagliapietra to head over as Hamilton reached half-time with just a slender lead.
And Hamilton continued to create most of the chances after the break with Dark Blues keeper Scott Bain saving Dougie Imrie's close-range header midway through the second half.
Hamilton were forced to defend frantically during the latter stages. Garcia Tena blocked a Darren O'Dea header on the line, while keeper Michael McGovern saved from Rory Loy.
Elsewhere, Thistle ended a run of three straight defeats by collecting three points in Kilmarnock.
The visitors created the first opportunity by forcing a save out of Jamie MacDonald who held on to David Amoo's powerful header following Mustapha Dumbuya's cross. At the other end, Thistle keeper Ryan Scully saved well from Josh Magennis.
The deadlock was broken on 32 minutes when Lawless collected Abdul Osman's cross before locating the bottom left-hand corner of the net from just outside the box.
And it was 2-0 on 66 minutes when Doolan ran onto a long through-ball before finding the back of the net from 12 yards.
As Kilmarnock searched for a way back into the match, striker Kris Boyd fired inches wide from 12 yards. However, Thistle almost added a third late on when Sean Welsh struck a post from outside the box.
The hosts will now contest a two-legged play-off fixture later this month.
Meanwhile, at Fir Park, St Johnstone came from behind to beat Motherwell 2-1.
The visitors gifted Motherwell the opener inside five minutes, when goalkeeper Zander Clark miscued his attempt to clear a backpass and a grateful Scott McDonald headed home from 12 yards.
As the Saints responded to going behind, Liam Craig curled a 25-yard effort against a post after collecting Brian Easton's tapped free-kick on 17.
The equaliser duly arrived in the 34th minute through Steven MacLean who met Easton's assist to score with a rising shot.
The visitors went ahead on the stroke of half-time when MacLean set up Danny Swanson who made it 2-1 from just inside the box.
That was the way it remained allowing Saints to move five points clear of their opponents and they are now almost certain of securing fourth spot.
Finally, Hearts and Ross County drew 1-1 at Tynecastle where both goals arrived during the last six minutes.
Prince Buaben had come close to breaking the deadlock on the hour with a close-range header that was saved by Scott Fox.
And it was Buaben who provided the assist for Juanma to open the scoring from close range but, with 88 minutes on the clock, County were level thanks to a David Goodwillie header which ended a run of five straight defeats at the hands of Hearts.
