Rice positive even as Accies slip to bottom
Hamilton boss Brian Rice insisted he was not too deflated despite his team sitting bottom of the table after a narrow home loss to St Mirren.
Jon Obika’s first-half goal was enough to settle a typical game of two halves and leave Accies without a point to their name after three games.
Rice, though, was encouraged by his players’ second-half display when they bossed large spells of the contest but couldn’t take any of the chances they created.
And he felt that his team probably did enough to earn at least a draw ahead of next week’s derby with Motherwell.
He said: “I am not downhearted by the table because of what I saw in the second half. I know we are getting better.
“The second half was the best we have played this season and I include our game at Celtic Park. I thought we started the game really well and got at them in the first 10 or 15 minutes. After that, we lost our way a wee bit and fair play to St Mirren.
“In the second half, though, I think you saw a completely different team. We got on the front foot, got into wide areas, got the ball wide, created chances.
“I am disappointed for the lads more than frustrated because I don’t think we deserved to lose the match.
“I am not going to say it was one-way traffic in the second half because I don’t want to be disrespectful to the other team, but I really felt the goal was going to come.
“We have got to take our chances. It is a big derby match next week for us.”
Accies looked a much more dangerous prospect following the introduction of Justin Johnston at the start of the second half to great effect.
Rice added: “Johnson is a winger who likes to get at people in one-on-ones. An old-fashioned winger. So we have got to give him the ball. When we gave him it, you saw he can be a threat. He is a great wee lad and I love him to bits.”