Aaron McGowan scored a wonder-goal to beat Hearts – and says the relegation battle is now in Hamilton’s hands.
Hamilton's first win over the Tynecastle side for four years put Accies six points clear of 11th-placed Dundee and seven off St Mirren, as they go into the international break.
And McGowan reckons they’re good enough to get closer to St Johnstone, despite the Perth side being 14 points ahead.
He said: “It’s in our own hands. We’ve got a two-game gap now, no matter what they do, so at the end of the day there’s only one team that can have us playing in the Championship next season and that’s us. There’s no other team.
"As the gaffer says, we can't rely on others anyway, we have to do it ourselves, and there's nothing better after the game than knowing that you've done the job.
“I think that’s one of our biggest results of the season. We’ve put real distance between ourselves and the teams below us and it’s down to us, now.
“There’s no hiding from it, it’s really down to us to kick on and put the other two to bed. It’s in our hands, but with the confidence and momentum we’ve got under the gaffer, I believe we can kick on.
“We just seem to pull results out of nowhere, which nobody is expecting us to do, and that’s a great habit to have, so long may it continue.
“The momentum, the confidence, the whole place has got a lift, the crowd has got a lift and it has been a whirlwind six weeks since Brian Rice came in.
“But it was a change that was maybe needed and results have shown that.”
McGowan was unhappy about being left out of the team that lost at Motherwell, but says a chat with the gaffer resulted in a training idea that worked, as he smashed in a volley to win the game 1-0.
He said: “When it came across I thought 'hit it back to where it's come from'. Sometimes they go over the bar, sometimes you connect with it well, and luckily for us it's gone in the top corner!
"They don't come often, but when they do come you don't want it to be a goal with no value.
“We worked on it all week, me getting in round the back stick, and I felt every time I was getting in, there was going to be a chance coming my way.
“I’m just glad it paid off, because last week I was a bit disappointed to be out of the team.
“I came and had a conversation with the gaffer and thankfully he’s given me a chance to put that right. Hopefully I have.”
