It Can't Get Much Worse

Hamilton manager Billy Reid is sure his side will not be bottom of the league when the music stops at the end of the season. Saturday's 1-0 derby defeat by Motherwell meant that they were still shown as being the weakest side in the SPL with Falkirk just ahead on goal difference. Well's Lukas Jutkiewicz was on hand to scramble home the only goal of a scrappy and disappointing game in the 68th minute following a corner. The home side had to survive some late pressure as the visitors extended their run without a win to nine games. Accies had a strong injury-time penalty claim waved away when Stevie Hammell barged Accies substitute Flavio Paixao as he  attacked the ball on the goal line and Reid claims they just need a change of luck. Reid was without suspended defender Mark McLaughlin while midfield pair Alex Neil and James Wesolowski failed fitness tests to join top scorer Mickael-Antoine Curier, who is out for six weeks with a knee injury, on the sidelines. The Hamilton manager is confident that things can only get better and was encouraged by the debut of Dougie Imrie following his arrival from Inverness.

Reid said: "We've got big players out - four players who would be in the starting 11 week in, week out. But I thought the players who were on the park did enough to merit something from the game. I thought Dougie Imrie was the best player on the park, he will be a great signing for us. I'm very confident we're going to bounce back. There is no way this group of players are going to lie down. You can see that when they lose a goal, they are back in the game. Once I get my full team on the park, you will see the real Hamilton Accies."

Motherwell have managed to gather 13 out of a possible 15 points while securing their fifth consecutive SPL clean sheet. However, manager Craig Brown felt his players had delivered a "poor" performance on Saturday. There was no doubt Motherwell were not at their best but the poor condition of the patchwork that is known as the Fir Park pitch made flowing football almost impossible. They may have won but Brown appeared to be trying to keep his players' feet on the ground ahead of the midweek visit of league leaders Rangers. Brown said: "It's probably the best game we could get because the Old Firm tends to make players raise their game, and we'll have to raise our game to compete on Wednesday. If we had another team I would be concerned but the lads know they will have to step up their quality."

Brown did praise the work-rate of Jutkiewicz though following his10th goal of the season. Brown said: "It wasn't his best game but you don't grudge a hard worker scoring a goal. That guy comes in shattered after every game, he comes in bruised and he's still playing with 12 stitches in his thigh." Well moved to just two wins behind fourth-placed Dundee United but Jutkiewicz is not getting too carried away with the progress made. The on-loan from Everton striker said: "You just want to concentrate on your own performances rather than looking too far up the table. It would be great to think they are within our grasp but it's up to us to keep winning, starting on Wednesday and again away at Hamilton on Saturday."