Stoppage-time hero Garry Kenneth is ready to fill in anywhere in the Dundee United team following his 11th-hour call-up to a position he had not played for nine years.

Manager Craig Levein told Kenneth he would be starting at left-back just an hour before Saturday's 1-1 Clydesdale Bank Premier League draw with Hamilton kicked off.

Despite being out of his comfort zone, the 22-year-old centre-half hardly put a foot wrong, although it was his head that came to United's rescue as he powered home an equaliser three minutes into added time at Tannadice.

"I've not played full-back since I was 13, I think," said Kenneth after his first SPL start of the season for decimated United, for whom regular left-back Paul Dixon was one of 11 absentees.

"I had to wind up the old left foot.

"I just enjoy getting a game in the team and hopefully I can keep my place until Paul's back."

Asked if he was expecting Levein to start him at left-back, he replied: "Definitely not! All week, I've been working on playing right-back and then he plays me left-back.

"But, I'm just delighted to get a game - I'll take a game anywhere."

Kenneth may find himself called upon again at Aberdeen on Saturday, with United simply trying to see out a period in which they are missing an entire team of regular starters.

The absentees told as struggling Hamilton had the better of a stodgy game before having to settle for a 1-1 draw, after conceding a 93rd-minute equaliser at Tannadice for the second successive season.

Kenneth said of United's bogey side: "They always make it hard for us here and come and defend very well.

"You see boys throwing themselves in front of shots and just getting ahead of our boys.

"Hamilton always make it a hard game, whether it's here or whether it's away at their place."

Last season's corresponding fixture was a controversial affair and yesterday's clash also contained one major flashpoint following Accies' opener.

On-loan Dundee striker Mickael Antoine-Curier was never going to be a popular scorer but his goal infuriated United's players and fans, who were adamant he was offside as he slotted past Nicky Weaver.

Kenneth almost took his protest too far by chasing the assistant referee back to the halfway line.

He was more circumspect after the final whistle, saying: "We thought they were offside, obviously, but the linesman never gave it and that's football and we've just got to get on with it.

"We've got a point out of the game now - got to work towards next week's game."

Hamilton goalkeeper Tomas Cerny was left to reflect on Groundhog Day for his side.

"It was like deja vu - it was exactly the same situation as last season," he said.

"We lost a goal in injury-time, which is really disappointing.

"We should take positives from the game because I think we played really well and probably deserved to win.

"At the end, we were unlucky. But if we play like this every week, I think we'll get more points on the board and we'll be fine."

In truth, Accies could have ended up losing a game they had comfortably looked like winning until a frantic final five minutes which saw Damian Casalinuovo and Darren Dods hit the post and crossbar in the same attack.

"They hit the woodwork a couple of times," Cerny said.

"They put us a little bit under pressure the last 15 minutes.

"But I think we dealt with the longer balls quite well and it looked like we were going to win.

"But, again, they scored in injury-time and that's it."

Hamilton missed a big chance to put significant daylight between themselves and rock-bottom Falkirk, who lost to St Mirren.

But Cerny said: "I look at our games; I try not to look so much at other teams.

"If we keep taking something from the games, we'll be fine."