Reid working hard to lift Accies for Tannadice test

Nov 20 2008 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

HAMILTON boss Billy Reid this week admitted he needs to lift his squad ahead of Saturday’s trip to Dundee United after Sunday’s 2-1 home defeat by Celtic.

In a sensational performance against the Scottish champions Hamilton opened the scoring through Richard Offiong and might have taken at least a point but for a controversial first-half penalty award.

Martin Canning tripped Celtic’s Cillian Sheridan outside the box but referee Steve Conroy pointed to the spot and red-carded the defender.

Shunsuke Nakamura levelled and Paul Hartley scored a dramatic winner with three minutes left.

Reid was gutted after the final whistle and knows he has to raise his men’s spirits ahead of Saturday’s visit to Tannadice.

However, he said Hamilton could take several positives out of the game.

The Accies boss said: “In the last three or four weeks, things haven’t been going our way and the penalty was a big, big decision that influenced the game and went against us again.

“But the fact that we kept going shows the spirit within this club.

“We’re sitting bottom of the league but nobody’s going to throw in the towel here and I think people could see that on Sunday. Celtic weren’t at their best but I think that had a lot to do with Hamilton Accies.

“It’s hard to play well when you’ve got people all over the park winning battles against you, fighting their corner and passing the ball.

“And when you’ve got a threat up front like we had in Richard Offiong then that’s going to stretch teams.

“I’ve asked the players to show that same hunger. I’m not having a go at him, but we’ve seen the Richard Offiong that comes on and looks as though he’s not bothered, and we saw the hungry Richard on Sunday. If he gives us that, he’ll be fine.

“Richard was playing against the two Scotland centre-backs in Stephen McManus and Gary Caldwell – who I think are the best defensive partnership in the SPL – and he’s given them an absolutely torrid time.”

He continued: “I’m trying to pick us up. The players are looking for inspiration because they feel as though they gave me everything.

“To play like that and put so much into it but then get undone by a decision like that is unjust and I can’t explain that to them.

“Against Rangers, Kris Boyd scored an offside goal and Chris Porter was clearly offside in the game against Motherwell. Decisions are going against Hamilton Accies at the moment and I hope it evens itself out.

“I wonder if it had been at the other end and we had been outside the box and got tugged, would we have got a penalty while their man was sent off?

“My players feel as though we don’t really get any 50-50 decisions and I can’t argue with that.”

Reid added: “I think we’ve played well at times this season but we haven’t got the breaks.

“On Sunday, we earned the right for the breaks in how we played but we just didn’t get them.

“But I could go through my entire team and say they were all on their game and I’m proud to be their manager when they give me that.”

Martin Canning is suspended for Saturday’s match at Tannadice following his red card against Celtic.