Pressure? What pressure? The cut-and-thrust of a relegation scrap tends to require the kind of loin-girding that cod pieces were invented for.
Marios Ogkmpoe is clearly made of the stuff you need for this particular skirmish. “I didn’t feel pressure, penalties are 50-50 but I knew I would score,” said Hamilton’s confident Greek striker after holding his nerve to secure a nail-nibbling, last gasp victory for the 10-men over Kilmarnock with an injury time penalty.
Up to 10th, four points above bottom-of-the-table Hearts and now ahead of St Mirren, this hard-earned win completed a terrific week for the Accies. After the midweek win over Rangers at Ibrox, the last thing anybody of a Hamilton persuasion wanted was an after the Lord Mayor’s show situation on Saturday.
When Mickel Miller was sent off with 12 minutes to go, it didn’t look good. But Hamilton were resurgent in adversity, while Kilmarnock lost the gumption required to make the extra man count.
Ogkmpoe, who had been thwarted on a couple of earlier occasions by Kilmarnock keeper Laurentiu Branescu, would have the final say, though, and swept home the penalty despite the Killie custodian’s valiant effort to keep it out.
“We were in last place and now we are tenth,” added Ogkmpoe of Hamilton’s profitable run that has led to back-to-back wins for the first time in two years. “Unfortunately, we have the experience of being in the position at the bottom of the table but if we keep playing like we have done then there is nothing to be scared of. Yes, it’s harder with ten men but we tried to squeeze as high as we could.
"When I saw the ball go in the net from the penalty I was relieved because I had two chances earlier in the game when I should have scored. I was happy that the ball finally went in.”
With another big game coming up against Ross County, Ogkmpoe is well aware that Hamilton can’t afford to rest on their laurels after two successive 1-0 wins. “Every win has its own importance,” he said. “If we lose the next two games it will be like we haven’t achieved anything.”
Kilmarnock slithered down to eighth place, four points off the top-six. They are still seven points away from the relegation play-off spot but they may just be peering over their shoulders.
“It’s disappointing,” said Killie defender Stephen Hendrie. “For long spells of the game we were in total control, created loads of chances and just couldn’t put the ball in the net.
“When you come to Hamilton, you have to roll your sleeves up and get stuck in. We fell short and it’s just frustrating. They were down to 10 men and we couldn’t break them down. That’s football for you.”
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