Mensing: ‘We can kick-start season at Ibrox’

Aug 27 2009 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

SIMON Mensing hopes Hamilton can kick-start their season by putting in a good performance against Rangers at Ibrox on Saturday.

Mensing knows Accies won’t be expected to beat Walter Smith’s men and while he hopes that happens, the former Motherwell and St Johnstone star reckons boss Billy Reid will be looking for an improved performance first.

Hamilton have slumped to three straight defeats in their opening games, losing 3-0 to Kilmarnock and Aberdeen in the SPL, and 2-1 against First Division side Ross County – a result that sent the New Douglas Park side spinning out of the Co-operative Insurance Cup on Tuesday.

Mensing said: “We’ve got Rangers at Ibrox on Saturday and games don’t come much bigger than that, but it’s one we’ll be ready for and after our recent results we’ll be looking to get back on track.

“Against Ross County on Tuesday we were poor from start to finish and there’s no excuse for that.

“We were second-best to every ball and I think that was reflected in the result.

“Against Kilmarnock and Aberdeen we conceded two wonder strikes in each game, but we also lost some sloppy goals.

“I think we’ve been a bit unlucky but it’s not just down to that because you make your own luck.”

Mensing is looking forward to Saturday’s clash against Scotland’s champions and said: “Hopefully a good showing at Ibrox can kick-start our season and give us something we can build on – and our luck has to change at some point.

“Almost any team going to Ibrox is in a situation where Rangers are the favourites. I don’t know if that necessarily means the pressure is off us but hopefully we can turn up and put in a performance that gives us some confidence.”