Hamilton came from behind to hold Celtic to a 1-1 draw at New Douglas Park, one month after losing 8-1 to the Premiership league leaders.
The result means that Aberdeen, facing St Johnstone at Pittodrie tomorrow, can close the gap at the top of the table to just four points.
Hamilton adopted a more defensive approach after the embarrassing result at Parkhead in their last meeting.
The Accies held out for 34 minutes before Dougie Imrie tripped Leigh Griffiths inside the box. The Celtic striker scored from the spot to send the visitors ahead.
Then, just before half-time, Dedryck Boyata seemingly caught Callum Morris when he was through on goal. Referee Craig Thomson reduced Celtic to ten men.
After the break, Celtic were awarded another penalty when Ziggy Gordon brought down Mikael Lustig at a corner. However, this time McGovern came out the better and blocked Griffiths’ shot.
Hamilton made the most of their life-line and grabbed an equaliser in the 74th minute. Celtic failed to clear an Accies corner and substitute Eamonn Brophy smashed the ball into the top corner from close-range.
In the end, both teams had to settle for a point.
Ronny Deila made two notable changes to the Celtic starting eleven. Scott Allan made his league debut having signed for the Hoops last summer. Craig Gordon also dropped to the bench in favour of Logan Bailly, who stepped up between the sticks. James Forrest, having rejected a contract earlier this week, was not included in the match squad.
Hamilton returned to three at the back after the 8-1 hammering suffered at the hands of Celtic one month before. In the four matches since the meeting, the Accies conceded just three goals.
Martin Canning set-up Hamilton to defend as Celtic started on the offensive.
A sea of red-and-white shirts flooded the Hamilton box whenever Celtic came within sight of Michael McGovern. Canning did not want a repeat of their last encounter.
The visiting Hoops dominated possession but couldn’t find a gap in the packed Hamilton box. After ten minutes Celtic hadn’t challenged McGovern – he’d picked the ball out of his net three times at the same stage of their previous encounter.
With such a defensive approach, it meant Hamilton had to make the most of their opportunities.
Ally Crawford missed a glorious chance to snatch a lead. Scott Brown lost possession to Morris, who then slipped the ball out to the Accies midfielder. Crawford was in clear space but he took too heavy a touch, giving Bailly had time to rush out, and his last ditch effort ended up gliding over the crossbar.
Celtic continued to search for that opening. The Hamilton back-three did an excellent job at quietening Leigh Griffiths, who had nothing to work with. Allan and co had been neutralised thus far.
But all of Hamilton’s brilliant defensive work was undone in the 34th minute.
Dougie Imrie tried to get to the ball before Griffiths and tripped the in-form striker inside the box. Griffiths stepped up and struck the ball down the middle for his 33rd goal of the season.
Imrie couldn’t hide his frustration as McGovern and Michael Devlin criticised his decision minutes later.
However, seven minutes later Hamilton were handed a lifeline.
Morris broke through the Celtic back-line and darted towards an exposed Bailly. Boyata charged to make up the difference and made a sliding challenge just outside the box that caught the Hamilton striker. Craig Thomson brought out the red and reduced Celtic to ten men. Replays, however, showed that Boyata made the slightest of touches to the ball before hitting Morris.
Crawford tried to capitalise moments later, switching onto his left before firing a shot at the Celtic goal. Bailly produced a good save to keep Celtic’s lead.
As the teams went in for half-time, Celtic held the goal advantage, but Hamilton had the extra man.
Celtic should’ve gone two up in the 50th minute. Kieran Tierney’s excellent block bounced straight through the Hamilton defence and put Gary Mackay-Steven through one-on-one with McGovern. The former Dundee United midfielder ran straight at the Northern Ireland international and had his shot blocked.
The Accies had a more attacking approach in the second-half. It was Celtic who looked to counter, as Hamilton pushed for an equaliser.
Griffiths almost added his 34th as the game reached the final third. Celtic hit Hamilton on the counter and Griffiths’ curling effort just wide of the mark.
Minutes later he forced another save from McGovern after breaking through the Accies’ defence. The ball rebounded to Mackay-Steven, but his deflected effort swerved into the crowd.
From the resulting corner Thomson again pointed to the spot.
The referee had warned Ziggy Gordon about his tight man-marking of Mikael Lustig prior to the corner. When the ball did come in, the Hamilton right-back had his arms wrapped around his Celtic counter-part. Thomson awarded the penalty, but this time McGovern stopped Griffiths’ shot to keep the Accies in the game.
With 20 minutes remaining Canning made a statement of intent. Changing to a flat-back-four, Eamonn Brophy, who scored Hamilton’s one in their 8-1 defeat, replaced Darren Lyon.
It proved to be an inspired move.
Less than four minutes after the substitution Brophy capitalised on Celtic failing to clear their box from a corner and smashed the ball into the top right corner.
Hamilton refused to settle for a point, though.
The hosts continued to push for a goal. Crawford’s driven cross found Greg Docherty in the centre of the Celtic box, and if not for an outstretched leg the Hamilton midfielder might have grabbed a winner.
The New Douglas Park crowd – although travelling Celtic supporters outnumbered Hamilton fans – got behind their side as the Accies pushed for three points.
Hamilton tried to snatch a late winner but Celtic were resolute and both teams had to settle for a point.
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