THE insults are now flying thick and fast at Tommy Craig from the St Mirren supporters.
"You don't know what you're doing", they chanted as he made a second-half substitution, and that was most definitely one of the nicer things directed towards the manager from the away end at New Douglas Park.
It should surprise no-one. The Paisley side have won just twice in 14 outings and appear to be getting worse by the week.
Last time out, Craig paired James Marwood and Callum Ball up front to try to solve his team's evident difficulties in front of goal. Yesterday, he tore up that particular plan and went with Ross Caldwell on his own as the spearhead of a youthful line-up with three debutants in Mark Ridgers, Stevie Mallan and Jack Baird. It was even more of a disaster. Goals from Tony Andreu, Mickael Antoine-Curier and Ali Crawford earned a well-deserved victory for Accies and they could easily have won by more. The St Mirren chairman, Stewart Gilmour, was nowhere to be seen at the game but sources stated last night that three of his directors left when the third goal went in.
As the match ended, the St Mirren followers made it clear they want Craig out of the door in addition to singing the praises of his predecessor and former colleague, Danny Lennon.
"I have nothing to say about that," Craig said. "I have a job to do and I will be back in on Monday morning ready to do it again. If we can play the way I know we can play, we will be OK."
Crawford, racking up his 150th Hamilton appearance, was central to Accies' victory, their first in five outings. The midfielder, who scored twice in a win over Saints earlier in the season, flashed an effort just wide on six minutes.
That period of play preceded a cross from the right from Antoine-Curier that bounced around in no-man's land and really should have been cleared, but Crawford was, again, so much more aware than his opponents and managed to knock the ball on to Andreu at the edge of the area.
He released a low, right-footed shot that whizzed into Ridgers' right-hand corner for his 10th goal of the season and ensured the home side went in at the break with a deserved lead.
Andreu missed a couple of early chances in the second period Ridgers blocked an Antoine-Curier volley at close range, but Accies were all over their hapless visitors by that stage and doubled their advantage in the 67th minute.
Ridgers parried a shot from Andreu, but it landed in the path of Antoine-Curier and he was not about to squander a second gilt-edged opportunity, sliding a low finish into the net from close in.
Scorer turned provider seven minutes later when Antoine-Curier delivered a low cross that was poorly cleared by Jason Naismith and buried from nine yards by Crawford. If any man was worth a goal, it was him.
James Marwood was introduced for Mallan for St Mirren and did force a good save from Michael McGovern with Kenny McLean and Jason Naismith also hitting the bar, but it was immaterial by then. "Over the piece, we were totally dominant," said Hamilton manager Alex Neil.
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