Reid wants to keep winning run at Clyde

Aug 9 2007 By Andy McGilvray

BILLY Reid reflected on Hamilton’s stuttering 2-1 CIS Cup victory over East Stirling and said: “Winning is everything.”

On Tuesday goals by Richard Offiong and Paul McLeod gave Accies back-to-back home wins, after Saturday’s triumph over Dunfermline by a similar scoreline.

Reid knows it’s important to keep the winning run going, and hopes to take three points from Clyde at Broadwood on Saturday.

He said: “It’s important that we keep the momentum going.

“We lost the first two games of last season and kicked on from there, but we’ve now won the first two and we’re confident.

“There were no negatives for me after Tuesday’s game against East Stirling; it’s about winning football matches and this club has achieved that twice already this season while others haven’t got a point on the board and are also out of the cup.

“We’re through to the next round and that’s always the most important thing.

“We know where we’ve got to be, and that is all that I’m interested in.”

Reid added: “East Stirling made it difficult for us on Tuesday evening but we made it hard for ourselves as well.

“If you make chances but don’t hit the target and make their keeper work enough then you’re going to have problems.

“They came into the game but once we moved Alex Neil into the middle of the park I thought we stepped up the pace and were worthy winners in the end.

“Now we look forward to Saturday, that’s the only focus we’ve got.”

Reid was delighted with Saturday’s 2-1 win over title favourites Dunfermline, thanks to a debut strike by Stuart Taylor and a Richard Offiong penalty.

He said: “It’s a good start but we’re not getting carried away. We knew it was going to be tough because Dunfermline have good players and experience all over the park, but the one thing we guarantee any team coming to New Douglas Park is that they will get a hard game.

“We were never really in control of the game as much as we would have wanted to be, in terms of possession, but it’s about winning football matches.”

Hamilton entertain Second Division Ayr United on Tuesday in the Challenge Cup first round, and Billy will give some of his younger lads a run-out, but knows he needs to be careful.

He said: “We’ll change things about but we need to be careful.

“Sometimes you try to be too clever by changing things about and you can come back with egg on your face — some might say that might have been the case on Tuesday.

“But it’s healthy that they all get a run of games.”

AHEAD of Tuesday’s Challenge Cup first round tie with Ayr United on Tuesday, chairman Ronnie MacDonald and vice-chairman Les Gray will hold a fans’ forum in the function suite from 6.45pm-7.30pm. The match kicks off at 7.45pm.

Admission prices for Tuesday’s game have been reduced to £10 for adults and £5 concessions.