Last updated on .From the section Football

By Kenny Crawford BBC Sport Scotland at New Douglas Park

Hamilton Academical retained their Scottish Premiership status thanks to Greg Docherty's goal in Sunday's play-off final against Dundee United.

With the tie goalless after the first leg, hosts Hamilton were denied by a brilliant Paul Dixon clearance and Cammy Bell's save from Dougie Imrie.

Docherty won it with a fine strike from Ali Crawford's excellent set-up work.

Simon Murray went close to an equaliser for United, who will play at least a second season in the Championship.

Accies were promoted to the Premiership in 2014 thanks to a play-off final win over Hibernian, and Sunday's result means they are the only side to have come up from the Championship via the play-offs since their introduction.

Docherty delight

It seems fitting that a player who came through the Hamilton youth system won such an important match for the Lanarkshire club.

Greg Docherty put an injury-hit campaign behind him by netting the winning goal

Docherty started his Hamilton career as an eight-year-old in 2005 and, now 20, struck a special winner in 2017.

The 20-yard drive was only his second goal of an injury-troubled season but the Scotland under-21 midfielder was one of the stars of the show.

His first-half pressing and passing was excellent, so the perfect low shot into the corner after 64 minutes was well deserved.

Crawford v Bell

Amid the nerves and high balls in a tense first half, it was Hamilton's Crawford who had the best opportunities. The only problem being that Bell was equal to them.

The pick of the bunch was the United goalkeeper's diving save to stop Crawford's 12-yard effort after good work by Danny Redmond and Grant Gillespie down the right.

Dundee United's Paul Dixon made a terrific first-half clearance to deny Hamilton

Compared to his usual high standards, Crawford has been quiet on the goals front in 2017. But he looked busy and creative in both of these play-off matches as he tried to save the club he came through the youth academy at from dropping into Scotland's second tier.

His earlier range-finder had been spilled by Bell, only for Dixon to beat Danny Redmond to the rebound and make an excellent clearance.

The visitors struggled for any fluency in the first half, with their best chances coming at the start and end of the opening 45 minutes.

Accies' on-loan Norwich goalkeeper Remi Matthews kept out Tony Andreu's flick early on before brilliantly tipping over to prevent Scott McMann turning into his own net.

Four seasons

At the start of each campaign Hamilton are often the team tipped for the drop, but they will now enjoy a fourth consecutive season in the top flight.

This was a hugely disappointing day for United, who fell at the final hurdle following a six-game play-off slog.

Simon Murray had two great chances near the end to equalise, but lifted his first narrowly over before sending his next effort straight at Matthews.

Dundee United's Simon Murray passed up his side's best chances against Hamilton.