Accies defender Canning calls for change in fortune

Nov 6 2008 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

HAMILTON need to learn to cope with the demands of SPL football if they are to stop the rot, according to defender Martin Canning.

The 26-year-old former Hibs and Gretna stopper believes Accies have what it takes to stay in the top flight and just need a break.

But he’s also conscious that the New Douglas Park side must try to arrest a run of six straight league defeats when they entertain Falkirk on Saturday.

He said: “We’ve got something to prove to Falkirk for the 4-1 defeat, but I think every game against the likes of them, Inverness, St Mirren and other teams who could be in the bottom six are going to be really important for us.

“Some of the boys are struggling a bit, confidence-wise, and that’s always going to happen when you’ve lost six games on the bounce.

“I think we’ve now got to take three points in the next game. We’re putting pressure on ourselves and the longer it goes on, the more pressure builds, so it’s important that we try to stop the rot, get back to winning ways and get the three points.”

Canning added: “At the moment we’re struggling a bit, but I still think there’s enough quality in the squad to keep us in the league – we need something to turn for us, that wee break, just to get ourselves back on our way again.”

Canning believes luck plays a part in football, and felt it deserted Hamilton on Saturday as they slumped to a 2-0 derby defeat at Motherwell.

He said: “Luck plays a part, but at the end of the day you make your own luck as well.

“If you’re doing things properly you don’t really rely on luck.

“I thought Motherwell’s second goal was definitely offside. Turning round and seeing it, Chris Porter was two yards on the wrong side of our man, so I can’t see how he wasn’t.

“With the second goal against Rangers last week also being offside, it’s just frustrating for us because those little breaks are going against us. Hopefully, over the course of the season, it will even itself out.

“But that takes the wind out of your sails. At 1-0 I don’t think we were on top in any way, but we were still in the game and all it needed was a set-piece, a corner or whatever, to nick a goal.

“But when you go 2-0 down the game totally changes, they settle down to play, and you’re left chasing the game.”

Following Saturday’s tussle with John Hughes’ men, Accies face a tricky trip to Tynecastle on Wednesday.

Following a double-header against Rangers and Saturday’s derby, Canning admits it’s a tough run.

He said: “It doesn’t get any easier but this is the level you want to be playing at, and it’s what happens when you get there.

“You need to play good teams, sometimes three in a week, but that’s just football at this level and you’ve got to be able to cope with it or you’re going to struggle.

“Maybe in the First Division if you’re playing three games in a week it doesn’t have the same demands on your body, but in this league you’ve just got to be able to handle it.”