Accies face testing week against Rangers and Hibs

Feb 26 2009 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

HAMILTON boss Billy Reid this week insisted his young side have the spirit to cope with a tough week which sees the visit of Hibs sandwiched between a double-header with Rangers.

Accies entertain Walter Smith’s side in Saturday’s 12.30pm SPL kick-off and will welcome Mixu Paatelainen’s Hibs on Wednesday before heading to Govan for Sunday’s Homecoming Scottish Cup quarter-final.

Reid’s men will relish that major test but the New Douglas Park gaffer hopes to come out of the other side with points and not just plaudits.

He said: “It’s a magic week ahead of us. That’s what you’re in the game for and where you want to be as a football club.

“We’ve got two home games against top SPL opposition and a Scottish Cup quarter-final with two of the games live on TV – what more can you ask for?

“We don’t fear anybody in this league but we’ll give the two teams respect.

“We feel against Hibs this season that we haven’t merited two defeats but we’ve failed to score in either game and need to make sure we rectify that on Wednesday.

“But I’m not looking any further ahead than Saturday. We’re live on Setanta and need to make sure we prepare in the right manner because an early kick-off is slightly different for players, and we need to make sure we’re focused.

“I hope to get my strongest team on the park and I hope we do ourselves justice.

“We’re good enough to do that and if we believe in ourselves and cut out the mistakes then we should be fine.

“We have a fantastic record at New Douglas Park and we hope that continues.”

One player who definitely won’t be involved in Saturday’s match is stopper Mark McLaughlin, who received eight stitches in a head wound following the 2-1 win at Falkirk.

He collided with a post while clearing the ball off the line and was later involved in a sickening accidental clash of heads with Falkirk’s Mark Stewart.

Reid said McLaughlin will be given as much time as he needs to recover.

The gaffer spoke of his delight in winning Saturday’s vital clash, which moved Accies nine points clear of John Hughes’ Bairns and 10 away from bottom side Inverness.

He said: “That was a bit of a six-pointer for us and we spoke before the game about the importance of taking points from teams round about us.

“We’ve proved that we’re capable of beating teams like Aberdeen and we’ve controlled games against Dundee United but you’ve got to beat teams round about you.

“We did that on Saturday. We worked really hard and we deserved the win.”

Hamilton dominated the first half at Falkirk Stadium and Reid was bemused to go in at half-time still level but his men showed spirit to come back from a bizarre own-goal opener for Falkirk.

Chris Swailes didn’t look up when attempting a simple passback to ’keeper Tomas Cerny and succeeded in sending the ball past his helpless – and furious – team-mate.

However, Simon Mensing’s volleyed equaliser and Paul McGowan’s sublime winner gave Hamilton a well-deserved three points.

Reid said: “Having lost last week, it was important that we bounced back on Saturday and it was a huge game, in terms of the possibility of Falkirk clawing back three points on us.

“At half-time, I think we deserved to be a couple of goals up but after going a goal behind it was good to go in on level terms.

“I told our players that we were better than Falkirk, to keep playing the way we were and we would win the match and it’s all credit to them; they’re a fantastic bunch.

“The spirit within them is unbelievable. McLaughlin was lying there with his head split open and everybody on the bench was desperate for a shot.

“The two players who showed that most were Richard Offiong and Paul McGowan. I had left them out for the two weeks before but they bounced back, reacted in the right manner and proved that they’re fantastic players and that’s healthy.”

Hamilton have reduced prices for the Hibs game on Wednesday to £5 for all and adult season ticket-holders will be entitled to an additional two free tickets for the main stand. For more information visit: www.acciesfc.co.uk.

Wednesday’s match will kick off at 7.45pm.