Former Raith Rovers full-back Reghan Tumilty scored the only goal of the game as the holders let their SPFL Trust Trophy crown slip.
Tumilty was part of the Rovers side that won the cup last year but left for Hartlepool in the summer.
His left-foot strike following a corner proved to be the winner as 10-man Hamilton held on to take home the trophy with a 1-0 win.
Raith started the match slowly and for all their second-half dominance, couldn’t break down Accies, with goalkeeper Ryan Fulton in inspired form.
Courier Sport rounds up the action on a disappointing afternoon for Rovers.
Key moments
Accies were slightly the better side in a cagey start to the match, though had to make two early substitutions due to injury – and another at half-time.
That didn’t prevent them from taking the lead through Tumilty’s left-foot strike, though by this point he had been pushed onto right-wing – and he finished the game at left-back.
Hamilton defender Dylan McGowan almost put it into his own net shortly afterwards, and that was the most exertion keeper Ryan Fulton was forced into during the first half.
A great move just before half-time ended in Isma Goncalves squaring to Vaughan, but the forward’s shot was deflected into the arms of Fulton as Rovers ended the half strongly.
Hamilton were reduced to 10 men shortly after the break when Dan O’Reilly collided with Stanton.
The momentum had already shifted Raith’s way and this gave them even more of an impetus – though for all their pressure and balls into the box, they rarely troubled the keeper until late on.
Sam Stanton’s volley was palmed over by Fulton, who then made two world-class stops from Lewis Vaughan to preserve Accies’ lead.
The Accies defence, to their credit, had until that point thrown themselves in front of everything that Rovers threw at them.
Player ratings
Raith Rovers (4-2-3-1): MacDonald 6; Millen 6, Lang 5, Nolan 6 (McBride 6), Dick 7; Brown 6, Spencer 5 (Ross 6); Stanton 7, Vaughan 7, Easton 6; Goncalves 6 (Connolly 6). Subs not used: McNeill, Thomson, Ngwenya, Masson.
Star man
Stanton didn’t start the match well, but then neither did Rovers.
However, for a spell in the second half he was everywhere, linking with teammates and fighting to win the ball back.
Manager under the microscope
Murray welcomed Ross Millen, Connor McBride and Aidan Connolly back from injury.
The latter’s return posed a selection dilemma in attack after last week’s 6-1 over Cove Rangers and Murray decided to stick with the combination that did for the Aberdeen side.
Stanton started off the right, with Vaughan in the centre, but they switched midway through the first half, with Raith struggling to create.
Connolly was brought on early in the second half, as were Ethan Ross and Connor McBride, but none of them could help with the lack of a natural striker in the penalty area.
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