Ziggy Gordon's first goal of the season gave Hamilton a 2-1 win against Dundee United at rain-lashed Tannadice and left the home side further adrift at the bottom of the Ladbrokes Premiership.

Striker Billy Mckay's 29th-minute drive gave United a deserved interval lead and Accies skipper Michael McGovern made several crucial saves, particularly from Mckay and Blair Spittal. An Ali Crawford corner in the 70th minute was then put into his own net, it appeared, by United defender Gavin Gunning under pressure from Hamilton defender Lucas Tagliapietra.

And in the 78th minute the Tayside team were made to pay further for their profligacy when, after Crawford's shot was blocked, Gordon returned the rebound into the net for Accies' first win in seven matches to leave United seven points behind Motherwell, who drew 2-2 with Hearts.

United fans had turned up hoping to see new faces in the starting line-up but former West Ham midfielder Guy Demel, signed by United on Monday, started on the bench.

And there was no sign of 31-year-old former Liverpool striker Florent Sinama Pongolle who had been waiting on international clearance after signing for the Tayside club on Friday.

An uninspiring affair unfolded and the relentless rain added to the Tayside gloom which was lifted for the home support when midfielder John Souttar played in Mckay with a clever pass with McGovern unable to stop the low, powerful drive on the turn from 12 yards.

Moments later, the Northern Ireland goalkeeper thwarted Spittal after the Lanarkshire defence was opened up again, before he tipped a Mckay shot from distance over the bar for a corner which came to nothing.

United finished the first half stronger.

Just before the break McGovern made a good reflex save after the ball sped towards him when Accies right-back Ziggy Gordon tackled United midfielder John Rankin, before home defender Ryan McGowan ended the move by volleying Paul Dixon's cross over the bar from close range.

The rain continued to make conditions increasingly difficult after the break with players skidding and sliding all over the sodden pitch but the home side appeared to be in control.

Accies replaced Dougie Imrie with Alex D'Acol and Gramoz Kurtaj with Greg Docherty in a bid to get more of a foothold in the game which appeared to be slipping away from them.

In the 65th minute they should have been two behind when Spittal played in Mckay, but again McGovern made the block with the loose ball being cleared to safety by Darian MacKinnon.

However, five minutes later Accies found themselves level when Crawford's corner from the left was headed in his own net by Gunning, it seemed, with Tagliapietra challenging.

There was more woe for the home side eight minutes later when Crawford's blocked shot fell to Gordon and he swiftly knocked it into the lead for something of a smash-and-grab winner.