Partick v Hamilton: Accies looking up the table and not over our shoulder, says Scott Martin
Hamilton Accies skipper Scott Martin insists they are looking up the table and not behind their backs after last week’s defeat to Livingston.
The defeat, which was Hamilton’s sixth in 13 games, kept them sixth in the Championship and sitting seven points off the promotion play-off spots.
Just six points separate them from the relegation play-off spot, currently occupied by Dunfermline, who are four clear of bottom side Airdrie.
But Martin says they head to fifth-place Partick Thistle this weekend only worried about what is above them and confident they can pull off a result, having defeated the Jags 1-0 at New Douglas Park earlier in the campaign.
He said: “We need to start looking up the table instead of down, but we need to take care of results on the pitch. If we can get a wee run together where we are regularly picking up results, we can start climbing the table.
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“We need to chase and hold onto the tails of the teams higher up the table. Some of us have been in the position before in this league where you feel like you can’t claw that gap back, but as long as we keep grinding results out we give ourselves a chance.
“We need to keep working hard in training and that will be the foundation for us to work on.
“We need to kick on and find another gear to get more results.
“We know Partick will be a tough game again. Every game in the Championship is a tough one, but we’ll dust ourselves down and go again. We had a good result against them last time but we can’t go off past games.
“Each game is different and comes with a different challenge. We just need to reset and try our best to get something off of Partick.”
Accies could be without star striker and Championship top scorer after he missed the Livingston defeat through injury, with boss John Rankin keen not to risk him after he pulled up in training last week.
Martin added: “Oli is a big miss. We know his qualities and he is a top class player for us, but it is an opportunity for other boys to come in and show what they can do.
“You obviously want your best team on the pitch, but there are definitely players in the squad who can step up and take his place.”