Kevin O’Hara scored twice as Hamilton secured a place in next season’s cinch Scottish Championship by relegating Duncan Ferguson’s Inverness after a 3-2 play-off final victory.
The visitors, who carried a 2-1 first leg lead into the game at the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium, could hardly have got off to a better start when they found themselves 2-0 up on the night within 12 minutes of kick-off.
O’Hara, who had opened the scoring with a spectacular long-range strike on Wednesday evening, blasted Accies ahead after just eight minutes and saw Lewis Smith double their advantage four minutes later.
Cammy Kerr reduced the deficit 14 minutes before the break but O’Hara restored the two-goal margin with a 41st-minute penalty after Euan Henderson had been fouled by Remi Savage.
The second half proved a tighter affair as John Rankin’s men defended their lead successfully until Caly Thistle substitute Alex Samuel struck in the eighth minute of stoppage-time, but a 5-3 aggregate victory was enough to secure a place in Scotland’s second tier.
