Get back to winning ways at Falkirk - Reid

Feb 19 2009 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

DESPITE their derby defeat, Hamilton boss Billy Reid has asked for a similar performance as he prepares to take his troops to Falkirk on Saturday.

Reid was bitterly disappointed after the 1-0 defeat at Motherwell – particularly as it looked as though Simon Mensing had a perfectly good goal chalked off – but hopes Accies can bounce back against John Hughes’ side.

He said: “It’s always important to win your next game and every fixture in the SPL is a big one.

“We’re ready for the game and hope to get back to winning ways, but we know it’s going to be hard against a Falkirk side that are fighting for their lives.

“If we continue to put in the level of performance that we have been, however, then we’ll be fine.

“We feel that we’ve turned the corner with our performances away from home and there hasn’t been much in the games that we’ve lost.

“If we’re consistent with our performances – and I include Saturday in that – then we’ll be fine.”

Having watched a DVD of the Fir Park tussle Reid is still bemused as to why Dougie McDonald chalked off what would have been an early opener for Hamilton.

He said: “We scored a goal, I don’t really know what it was disallowed for. The referee said Simon punched the ball out of the goalkeeper’s arms but I didn’t see that and neither did the fourth official, but he (McDonald) has called it.

“I’ve watched the game on DVD and the referee has made a mistake, but it has had a big influence on the game.

“I think if that goal had stood there was only going to be one winner.”

Reid added: “The game didn’t really go for us. In the first half we battered them and should have gone in with a lead, but we didn’t and the kick in the teeth was to lose the goal right on 44 minutes.

“If we had got an early goal I think they would have folded. I think we had them, and I think they knew that.

“I don’t think Motherwell could believe that they had gone in 1-0 up at half-time, but that set us back a wee bit.

“But to go to Fir Park against our rivals and dominate the first 45 minutes of the game was brilliant.

“We controlled the football match away from home, we looked like the home side, and the reaction of their supporters at half-time told you everything – they were silent.

“Ultimately we picked up nothing from the game, but I don’t have any complaints because the players gave us everything, and we’ve grown. I think people can see that.

“One or two probably didn’t play to their potential but I’m not going to have a go at them – they’re not robots and can’t give us 100 per cent. all the time.

“But if we’re going to lose then I want us to go down fighting; one thing for sure is that if somebody is going to beat us then they’re going to have to work for it.”