Mensing returned to the side to score from the penalty spot
Simon Mensing's penalty winner over Inverness moved Hamilton Accies six points clear of the Scottish Premier League's bottom side.
Hamilton went ahead after 38 minutes of an even first half when Grant Munro felled Joel Thomas and Mensing supplied the clinical finish.
Adam Rooney went close to an equaliser after the break, while Ross Tokely's header struck the Accies bar.
But Caley Thistle clipped to their seventh league defeat in a row.
Suspension had denied Hamilton the influence of captain Alex Neil and top scorer Richard Offiong.
And it was a Caley Thistle encouraged by last weekend's Scottish Cup win over Ross County who had the first effort on goal when full-back Tokely curled a shot from 25 yards just over the bar.
But it was an attack-minded Accies, inspired by loan-signing Paul McGowan playing on the right, who had more purpose either side of that effort.
They had already had two penalty claims rejected following challenges on James McCarthy before referee Brian Winter finally pointed to the spot after 38 minutes.
Thomas, who had come in for Offiong, jinked inside Richard Hastings, himself replacing transfer-listed Lionel Djebi-Zadi, and the striker was brought down by a clumsy Munro challenge.
Ryan Esson, back in the Inverness goal in place of Michael Fraser, was sent the wrong way from the spot by another returnee Mensing, who had come into the side along with Trent McClenahan.
McGowan (left) was in fine form for Hamilton against Inverness
The goal had come just as Inverness had started to exert their own spell of pressure in a match they viewed as vital to their SPL survival hopes.
But under-pressure manager Craig Brewster wasted no time in making changes, perhaps hoping to exploit Garry Wood's pace on the counterattack against the wind by bringing the young striker on at half-time for Andy Barrowman.
Hamilton were forced into a change of their own, Chris Swailes, who had been left out the Hamilton side despite scoring the winner against Ross County last weekend, coming into the defence for the injured David Elebert.
Both sides were battling hard to not only overcome each other but a howling wind that had arrived to give added impetus to driving, icy rain.
Substitute Rooney's blistering effort stung the hands of Cerny, the goalkeeper spilled the shot, but Hamilton cleared the danger.
Inverness went close again when Tokely's flick-on came off the Hamilton crossbar, but Hamilton were not to be denied a fourth straight home win that could be vital in the relegation battle.
Hamilton manager Billy Reid:
"We said a few weeks back that our home form wasn't good enough and that was no good to us in this league so we've turned things round.
"We've worked very very hard on the training ground, we've worked hard on our defence.
"That's four wins on the bounce, twelve points out of twelve. It wasn't pretty again but the conditions were horrendous for both sides.
"We were the better team first half and Inverness pushed us back in the second half and were unlucky not to score.
"I'm delighted with the three points."
Inverness CT manager Craig Brewster:
"I thought in the second half we did well; we did everything but score.
"I don't think Hamilton had a chance after the first 10 minutes. They scored a penalty and we didn't score, end of story.
"The conditions are horrendous, the wind was howling and the rain was in our face.
"We tried to play, we got into decent positions, the delivery was better second half and we created a few problems but of course we didn't score.
"We find it difficult to score and that's what wins you games."
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FROM OTHER SPORT SITES
The ScotsmanHamilton 1-0 Inverness CT: Accies win piles pressure on Brewster A first-half Simon Mensing penalty against Inverness Caledonian Thistle at New Douglas Park was enough to give Hamilton Academical a six-point cushion over the Clydesdale Bank Premier League's bottom side. - 50 mins ago
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