Match Day: Hamilton 3 - 1 Dundee United

Dundee United have a terrible habit of losing opening day fixtures to teams that many would have the Arabs beat. There's the opening day defeat to Falkirk back in 2006 and Hibernian in 2003. Kilmarnock won 2-0 in August 1998 as that season got under way, and in 1994 United lost their first game against Hibernian 5-0; somewhat ominously, that was also the season in which they where relegated.

Today's opening day defeat to new boys Hamilton Academical (3-1) came as a surprise to most pundits. Dundee United haven't lost a league game to Hamilton since 1989 and so on paper there's not many that would have put you off putting on a safe bet for another United victory. But as we saw in the game at Pittodrie on Saturday, you cant always guarantee any certainties in football; it's a funny game after all. Hamilton certainly didn't get off to a good start. On 23 minutes, Mark McLaughlin tried to clear a Willo Flood cross, but only ended up putting through his own net. Luckily for McLaughlin and all 4,385 supporters inside the New Douglas Park stadium, Hamilton soon got things back on track when Prince Buaben fouled James McCarthy on the edge of the United area. The resulting free kick - some 25 yards out - was converted expertly by Anthony Stevenson. Hamilton extended their lead just before halftime again from a free kick. Lee Wilkie was adjudged to have fouled James McCarthy and McLaughlin was on hand to head down Anthony Stevenson's free kick to James McArthur who made no mistake from six yards out. Hamilton secured the points in the 60th minute as David Graham fired home from 18 yards and put the ball low in the bottom left corner of Zaluska's goal.

A surprising, but deserved win for the Accies then who take Caley's place at the top of the SPL, while Dundee United join Aberdeen in the basement. A tough task lies ahead for Craig Levein to pick up his men for the visit of Champions Celtic next Sunday while Billy Reid prepares his young side for a top-of-the-table clash against Inverness next Saturday - and there's not many that would have expected that sentence to be written so soon in the season.