Bri: Stay off foot in May
Brian Rice hailed his Hamilton stars for scrambling off the foot of the table – then told them to make sure that remains the case come May.
Accies bravely battled for a point at Pittodrie and could even have won it had they been awarded a penalty when Andrew Considine handled.
The point took them above Kilmarnock and they can use their game in hand against Livingston next weekend to widen the gap.
Accies boss Rice said: “We’re off the bottom and while that is nice it doesn’t really mean too much at this minute in time.
“It’s the middle of May that we need to be off the bottom but it is a step in the right direction.
“To come up here and get a draw and a clean sheet is a real achievement and that point is really most welcome.
“We play Livingston away next week and they beat us convincingly at Hamilton but we are a different animal now.”
Rice refused to criticise ref Bobby Madden and his officials for decisions which went against his side.
He added: “I don’t want to speak too much about the officials because Bobby is a good referee but we’ve been on the end of a couple of dubious decisions, let’s say, in recent weeks.
“So let’s hope it balances itself out. We can’t do anything about it. We just move on.”
Accies also lost Brian Easton and Nathan Thomas to injuries and Rice said: “Nathan’s just back after he injured his ankle in December and it looks like he’s done it again.
“Easton caught his studs in the grass. He turned 33 yesterday so I hope it’s just old age and not as bad as it could be.
“I’m more hopeful for Easty than Nathan.”