Accies ready to cash in if rivals slip up

Aug 30 2007 By Andy McGilvray

HAMILTON boss Billy Reid says his side can give themselves a healthy lead at the top of the First Division by taking three points from Partick Thistle on Saturday.

Reid leads his table-toppers into battle against Ian McCall’s side at Firhill, knowing that his title rivals can slip up elsewhere.

Dunfermline entertain St Johnstone on Sunday, while Dundee travel to Clyde 24 hours earlier, and Reid wants his side to take advantage.

He said: “It would be really nice to finish with a victory ahead of the international break.

“Another three points could leave us in a healthy position.

“We’ll go to Firhill and give Thistle the respect they deserve for we know it’s going to be difficult.

“I felt that last season we didn’t win enough away games, but we’ve won three already this term and that for me is progress.

“But we know that if we don’t play as well as we can, we’re going to have problems.”

Reid was delighted with Tuesday’s 3-2 CIS Cup win at Berwick and took several positives out of the game.

The Accies gaffer said: “We lost a bizarre first goal. It was a free-kick but the referee blew his whistle and then didn’t point, so while our players stopped, Gary Wood passed the ball down and Iain Diack scored.

“It’s difficult to bounce back from that but we did, and I thought we played well in the second half.

“At 2-1, I thought we were going to go and score another two or three. We had numerous chances, one hit the bar, one went along the line and we had a few one-on-ones with the goalkeeper. Then out of nowhere they scored a goal — but that’s the Cup for you.

“Again we dragged ourselves back into it and over the 90 minutes we thoroughly deserved the win.

“I was pleased that big Brian Wake got off the mark. If anybody deserves a couple of goals, it’s him for the workrate he puts in.

“We rested one or two players with an eye on the Partick game, and although we were forced to bring Alex Neil on earlier than I had hoped, we were able to rest Brian Easton and Mark McLaughlin.

“That gave James Gibson some experience of games like that and I thought he handled the occasion really well, while Chris Swailes and David Elebert are able deputies at centre-half.

“We’re now in the last 16 of the CIS Cup and hopefully for the club and the chairman, Ronnie MacDonald, we’ll get a reasonable draw.”

Reid was also delighted with Saturday’s battling 2-0 win over Morton at Cappielow and said: “Twelve points out of 12 is a great start for the lads.

“We knew it was going to be a difficult game. We had to win the battle before we started playing, and I think we did that.

“We dominated the game from start to finish and over the 90 minutes we were deserved winners.”

Reid still hopes to strengthen his side before the transfer window closes at midnight tomorrow (Friday).

He said: “I’ve said all along that we would like to bring two or three players in and I’m almost certain that we will. I feel as though I need to strengthen in certain areas because we are going to hit injuries and we’re a wee bit short just now.”

l The CIS Cup third-round draw will be made on Monday.