FANS DESERVE A LOT BETTER
But Imrie confident Accies will start to pick up points
Dougie Imrie says fans were right to voice their frustrations following the 4-0 drubbing at St Johnstone – but he believes Hamilton are good enough to start picking up points.
Since beating St Mirren 3-0 on September 22, Accies have taken just four points from seven games, leaving them hovering near the drop-zone, even with a healthy lead over St Mirren and Dundee.
Those basement sides, in that order, are Hamilton’s opponents after the visit by Celtic on November 24, and Imrie is aware that Accies will need to step up their performances.
Club captain Imrie said: “Against St Johnstone it wasn’t great. We made a few mistakes, we didn’t defend well as a team. It wasn’t acceptable, we know that, but we’ve got to move on.
“We know it’s not good enough as a team, and we have to try to pick up points over the next few games. St Johnstone are flying just now, they were four games undefeated, four clean sheets, so they were full of confidence, but in the first 20 minutes the game was even.
“After that we lost the first goal, quickly lost a second when trying to get a foothold in the game, then two mistakes after that for the third and fourth doesn’t really give you a chance to get back into the game.
“It’s individual errors that are costing us, we have to try and cut them out.”
On the fans’ reaction after the game, Imrie said: “They’re entitled to it, coming to watch that.
“I wouldn’t be happy if I were a fan, so they’re entitled to their opinion, they’re entitled to be frustrated.
“As a team and as players we’re disappointed and that’s going to rub off on the fans. We know that, it’s up to us to sort it.”
While Hamilton hope to take points from champions Celtic, it’s those games in Paisley and Dundee on December 1 and 5 that are really going to count. Six points could go a long way towards Premiership survival.
Imrie said: “It’s a good game to start off with, Celtic here. They’ll be coming full of confidence because they’re back on top of the league, but that game will take care of itself.
“It’s early in the season but then it’s two massive games.
“We know we need to pick up points. We can’t worry too much aboutn them, we have to go there and do our own jobs and if we do that I’m sure we will come out OK. If we don’t, then there will be problems.
“It can be done. We beat Livingston out here, we got a good result at Kilmarnock, so we know it’s in there, it’s just trying to get that consistency.
“We have a good group of guys, we know we’re good enough. At the moment it’s just not working for us, but we’ll get there.”
Darian Mackinnon is suspended for the game against Celtic.