Billy Reid was full of praise for his players’ efforts after his 10 man Hamilton side recorded a 2-2 Lanarkshire derby draw with Motherwell in the SPL.
Former Hibs midfielder Guillaume Beuzelin was the man given his marching orders in the 30th minute for two bookings in as many minutes for challenges on Jim O’Brien and Mark Reynolds.
But the Accies were twice in the lead against their rivals, with Simon Mensing giving them an unlikely lead on the hour mark before Marco Paixao headed them back in front three minutes after Jamie Murphy’s spectacular goal had levelled the scores late on.
On-loan forward Lukas Jutkiewicz struck ‘Well’s second equaliser with just four minutes to go, leaving Reid experiencing a full range of emotions when summing up his team’s result.
Reid said: "There are mixed emotions to play so long with 10 men and put in that effort and endeavour and go ahead twice but get pegged back.
"Our goalkeeper has had a great game and I think the sending-off has certainly had an influence on the game.
"We were fairly in control and that changes the game but we never sat back."
Reid added: "The character and effort of my team were second to none. For what the players put in, they probably deserved to win. But it wasn't to be.
"Motherwell kept pushing forward. It was virtually five against five at that end and three against three at the other end.
Frenchman Beuzelin was making his Accies debut but didn’t outlast the first 45 when he was sent back to the dressing room by referee Craig Thomson. Reid held back with his comments about Thomson post-match, but made his feelings clear to the referee at the time of the incident.
“It was a smashing game but I've got a player in there, Guillaume Beuzelin, who made his debut today and he's sitting there frustrated and gutted,” said Reid.
"We're human, we have got emotions and you try to fight your corner for your team. When things go against you, you have got to stand up and be counted."
Hamilton kit man Danny Cunning also incurred the wrath of the match official and was sent to the stands early in the second half for voicing his opinion too forcefully.
"I think it was boiling over because, let's just say, we didn't get too much today," Reid said.
Motherwell boss Jim Gannon exited New Douglas Park without speaking to the press, after being said to be unhappy with midweek press rumours on the future of some of his young stars.
But ‘Well striker John Sutton said there were also mixed feelings in the visitors’ dressing room after the match after they failed to capitalise on being a man to the good for over an hour.
"You have got to give credit to Hamilton, they battled away and scored two very good goals but we're disappointed we never got our noses in front and got the chance to kill the game,” said Sutton.
"But we kept plugging away and scored two really good goals, especially Jamie Murphy's one.
"There is good character in the team and when there is only a goal in it, you never feel you're out the game. Although time was against us, we kept going and got the rewards."
