UNUSUALLY, despite several cup encounters down the years, these two teams had never met in league action through Caley Thistle's 14-year existence. Not a bad start, then – a top-of-the-table, top-flight confrontation for the opener.

Unfortunately, the glamour of that billing failed to lift the quality of play, despite a commendable desire from both teams to get the ball down and pass. From the elation of opening wins over Dundee United and Aberdeen respectively, Accies and their hosts were reminded of the other side of SPL life: the hard graft.

In the end, it took a mistake from an otherwise impressive debutant, Jamie Duff, to separate the sides and preserve Accies' sense of vertigo at the top-flight summit.

Billy Reid's battlers prevailed after Richard Offiong punished Duff's mistake with the only goal of the afternoon. It was an injury to home skipper Grant Munro that enabled the 19-year-old Duff to earn his first appearance and he soon soothed early nerves with a crunching saving tackle on James McArthur. But his error just before half-time was to exact a hefty price.

What penetration there was came initially from Caley Thistle, with Ian Black setting Don Cowie away on 19 minutes. His cross from the left side of the box was headed to safety by Accies' Chris Swailes.

Accies were limited in posing a threat, although Offiong should have done much better after 36 minutes when he skied a six-yard header from Simon Mensing's knock-back. Cowie was driving Caley Thistle on through the middle but had his heels clipped by James McArthur on a surging run three minutes before half-time.

Doug Imrie stepped over the free-kick but Cowie's attempt from 22 yards dropped lamely over the bar. But just as the game lulled before half-time, Caley Thistle were caught napping. Young Duff was carelessly dispossessed near the left touchline and Offiong tore in on goal at an angle. Russell Duncan made a despairing attempt to catch him, but the former Newcastle United striker calmly slipped the ball past Michael Fraser.

Irish under-21 international striker Adam Rooney, freshly signed from Stoke City, was thrown on by Craig Brewster at the break to lend Andy Barrowman support. Play became scrappy in the second half, but Accies had a couple of late chances and the points went south.