Accies boss remains wary of Dundee threat

Hamilton boss Martin Canning will not be fooled by Dundee’s dismal form ahead of their Dens Park clash on Saturday.

Paul Hartley’s Dark Blues have suffered six successive Ladbrokes Premiership defeats which leaves them one point ahead of Accies and Motherwell, who occupy the play-off place, as they prepare for the last fixture before the split.

Canning, however, recalled that Dundee travelled to Hamilton in October on an even poorer run of form – six defeats in a row and no wins in 10 – before emerging with a 1-0 victory, which means he is taking nothing for granted.

He said: “It is similar to the last time we played Dundee.

“They were bottom of the league with six points, they hadn’t won in so many games and came here and won 1-0 and managed to get themselves right back up the table.

“I don’t think you can look too much into form because every game means so much, there is so much pressure on every game, it changes drastically.

“You can’t think that because they have lost five or six they are going to lose again.

“I am pretty sure they will be desperate to turn it round and they will see it as a big opportunity for them.

“But it is a massive game again for us. They are all huge between now and the end of the season.”

Canning has no concerns at all that John Beaton, the referee who was criticised for his performance when Accies lost 6-0 to Rangers in the William Hill Scottish Cup at Ibrox in March, will be in charge at Dens Park.

The Hamilton boss claimed the Light Blues were awarded a soft penalty and it looked like the Govan side could have had two red cards.

However, Canning said: “It doesn’t have any effect on me.

“It is the same with player and managers; you will make bad decisions in games and you will make good decisions in games, and regardless of what happens you have to focus on the next game and John will do exactly the same.

“He is a good referee, decisions didn’t go for us in the game previous but that will have no impact on this game.

“It is a different game, different place, different circumstances and he will be out to do his job as professionally as he can, the same as us.”

Martin Canning: taking nothing for granted.