Accies aim to enjoy derby day

May 14 2009 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

SIMON Mensing hopes Hamilton will be playing silky football in Saturday’s derby with Motherwell ... because it means his side’s SPL status will have been secured.

As the Advertiser went to press Hamilton were due to entertain Falkirk on Wednesday evening at New Douglas Park, knowing that a win would guarantee top-flight football for next season.

Mensing hopes that the result means that by Saturday he and his team-mates can simply go out and enjoy a derby occasion in front of their fans – although Simon wants three points, regardless of the outcome.

He said: “The gaffer, (Billy Reid) said when the draw came out that he was pretty happy with it, especially the home games.

“We’ve still got an away game on the last day of the season but the two home games this week are massive, and hopefully by Saturday we can have secured our SPL status.

“The main thing is to get the points and hopefully we’ll have done enough by then that we can go out and just enjoy the game.

“The fact that it’s Motherwell doesn’t make any difference – it’s a game we’re looking to get the three points from.

“The main thing on Wednesday against Falkirk is to get the three points and secure that, but if we don’t and we can take a point, it’s still in our own hands on Saturday. We’ll be looking to win both.”

Mensing added: “To secure our SPL place with two games remaining would be massive – we’d have bitten your hand off for that at the start of the season, considering how little experience we’ve got and having a lot of young boys in the team who hadn’t played in the SPL.

“For any team coming up, including ourselves, that’s your main aim and if we do manage to do that, as far as we’re concerned it’s been a successful season.”

Mensing was pleased with Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Inverness, but hopes the club’s appeal against James McArthur’s red card is successful.

He said: “It was a massive point on Saturday.

“It’s not a great place to go to and that’s the third time we’ve been there this season, so to come away with a point was excellent – especially in the circumstances of James’s sending off.

“I didn’t even think it was a case of us holding on, as I thought we looked quite comfortable, to be honest, with the 10 men.

“From where I was it looked like James had got the ball and the fact that the linesman didn’t flag tells you its own story.

“James is an honest player, he was going for the ball, not to hurt anyone, and I think anyone who knows him knows that’s the case.

“Even if we lose the appeal he should be back for Saturday though and, fingers crossed, by then we might be able to go out, relax, and play good football.”