Hamilton were denied their first win of the Championship season when Ayr United's Andy Murdoch sent a rocket into the top corner to cancel out Dan O'Reilly's header.
It had looked like O'Reilly had won it when he headed into the top left corner in 73 minutes, but Murdoch sent the ball flying into the net 12 minutes later.
In truth that was no more than Ayr deserved.
While Hamilton had dominated the second half up until their goal, the Honest Men had the best of the first half and might have felt aggrieved to go in 1-1 at the interval.
Ayr struck first in three minutes when Dipo Akinyemi tapped in after Daire O'Connor had hit the left post.
But Accies responded with a cracker from Andy Winter, sending a chip into the right corner.
Ayr had the better of the opening exchanges, opened the scoring, hit the right post with a free kick and had a penalty claim waved away before Hamilton came to life.
But when they did, it was with a terrific individual goal from Winter, who went close to another moments later.
Ayr's Akinyemi struck the right post again, and had a penalty saved following a shocking decision by referee Gavin Duncan to award it in the first place, while Hamilton had a free kick superbly saved from Reegan Mimnaugh.
The second half wasn't quite as whirlwind, but there were chances for both sides, and Jean-Pierre Tiehi should have given Hamilton the lead, after Ayr had a goal chalked off for offside.
O'Reilly thought he had grabbed the winner for Accies, before Murdoch struck late on.
Ayr United boss Lee Bullen made two changes from the 3-2 win over Queen's Park last time out, with Daire O'Connor and Mark McKenzie in for Jayden Mitchell-Lawson and Fraser Bryden.
Accies head coach John Rankin made one change from the side that drew at Partick Thistle, with Jean-Pierre Tiehi making his first start, in place of Jonny Ngandu, who is on the bench.
Ayr started the better of the two sides, and took the lead after just three minutes.
Accies failed to clear their lines from a cross, allowing Daire O'Connor to hit the left post, before Akinyemi tapped in at the back post.
Ayr were clearly in the mood and Paddy Reading hit the outside of the post with a free kick from about 25 yards out on the right in seven minutes.
The hosts were denied a penalty in 12 minutes when McKenzie played a great ball through to Sam Ashford, who went down under a challenge by Dan O'Reilly, but referee Gavin Duncan wasn't interested.
Accies drew level in 14 minutes when Winter seized possession on the left and chipped a deft shot over Charlie Albinson and into the bottom right corner of the net.
McKenzie had a decent shot saved by Ryan Fulton in 17 minutes, but play raged up the other end and Winter went on a mazy run before his rising shot was blocked as he aimed for top left corner.
Akinyemi tried a drive from distance just moments later, but Fulton held it well.
The big striker got forward again in 34 minutes but after leaving both Brian Easton and Fulton sprawling, he hit the outside of the post with his shot.
Hamilton hit back in 35 minutes as Reegan Mimmaugh's curling 20-yard free kick was superbly pushed past the left post by Albinson.
Hamilton had a penalty awarded against Michael Doyle for what looked like a perfect tackle on O'Connor, but Fulton made a superb save to deny Akinyemi.
Accies were given a real let-off in 50 minutes when Ayr scored a second goal, only to fall foul of a linesman's flag, as Andy Murdoch's parried shot was swept in by Akinyemi at the left post.
Scott Martin sent Mimnaugh through on goal in 54 minutes, but his shot was blocked, even if a goal-kick was awarded.
A good Accies move involving Martin and Shiels sent Lewis Smith down the left in 64 minutes, but his cross flew over the face of goal with no takers.
Hamilton should have taken the lead in 67 minutes when Martin's cross from the left reached Tiehi, but the Frenchman fluffed his lines and Albinson gathered.
But the visitors had been pushing for a while and went ahead in 73 minutes when Mimnaugh's corner from the right was headed in at the back post by O'Reilly.
Ayr nearly levelled in 75 minutes but Ashford fired narrowly wide of the right post from a good move down that side.
Ashford went close with a diving header for Ayr that crept just past the left post in 83 minutes.
But Murdoch made a clean connection to send the ball ripping into the top right corner to level for Ayr two minutes later.
AYR UTD: Albinson, Reading, McGinty, Musonda, McAllister (Houston, 68), O'Connor (Smith, 68), Murdoch, Dempsey, Ashford, Akinyemi, McKenzie (Mitchell-Lawson, 68).
Subs (not used): McAdams (GK), Bryden, Kirk, Hewitt, Ecrepont, Moffat.
Bookings: Murdoch (66)
HAMILTON: Fulton, Doyle, O'Reilly, Easton, Shiels, Mimnaugh. Martin, L. Smith (Want, 84), Lawson, Winter, Tiehi.
Subs (not used): J. Smith (GK), Owens, Brown, Ngandu, One, McGinn, Newbury.
Bookings: O'Reilly (68)
Referee: Gavin Duncan.
Attendance: 2014.
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