Luton striker on target as Inverness suffer play-off first leg defeat to Hamilton

Luton striker Aribim Pepple was on target for Inverness Caledonian Thistle as they were beaten 2-1 by Hamilton Academical in the first leg of their Scottish Championship play-off final on Wednesday evening.

The hosts, who finished second in Scottish League One, took the lead on just six minutes when Kevin O'Hara opened the scoring with a stunning 35-yard effort that flew past goalkeeper Mark Ridgers. Hamilton then doubled their advantage midway through the first period, Fergus Owens following up to find the net after his initial effort hit the crossbar.

After the break, Pepple, who had been named on the bench for the visitors, who were second bottom of the Championship, was introduced just after the hour mark. He scored within two minutes of coming on, a clinical finish from close range, his second goal for the club since moving north of the border in February. Michael Hewitt and O'Hara both missed late chances to restore Hamilton's two-goal lead as the two teams go again in the second leg at the Caledonian Stadium on Saturday.

Speaking to the club’s official YouTube page, Inverness boss Duncan Ferguson said of the on-loan Town attacker: “I thought he was very good, he was direct. You can see them stepping back two or three yards because of his pace and his strength and he took his goal well. I think it was his first touch, so I’m really pleased with Bim. We got ourselves back in the game which I was pleased about but just couldn’t find the equaliser could we?

"There’s only a one goal deficit and we can overturn that at our place. I thought second half we were much much better, controlled the game then and pushed and pushed and pushed. I thought we were going to get the equaliser, but it didn’t quite happen. We lick our wounds, we go up the road, pick ourselves up and move on. I believe in the team and I believe we can get this goal back, so it’s all to play for.”