WE GOT A BIG FRIGHT
JORD PLAYS PART AS COMEBACK KID
FROM BACK PAGE but I’m pleased with the three points because all the talk before the game was about our away record and how we hadn’t won for eight months.
“The points were the most important thing but I wasn’t pleased with our display to be honest.
“We were actually frightened when they equalised. That basically gave us the rocket we needed because at 1-0 up we were too casual and I didn’t feel comfortable on the sidelines.
“I always felt they were going to have one opportunity or one decision that could have proved costly in terms of that win slipping from our grasp.
“Their goal scared us a bit and it sparked us into life. We then went on to win comfortably – but 4-1 flattered us.
“This game came on the back of an international break, it was on a plastic pitch and maybe this wasn’t the juiciest of fixtures for players to motivate themselves. But you have to be up for it.
“I don’t know if the away record was preying on their minds. I said before the game this was a great opportunity for us to prove we’re capable of winning on the road and we’ve done that.
“We’re away to St Mirren next and if we perform like we did today it’ll be tricky again.
“As a manager sometimes you’ve got to accept it might not always look great, especially on the back of Hearts and Rapid when it was sensational.
“Maybe I want that type of performance and it’s never going to be like that.
“However, the sign of a good team and one that’s developing is that when they’re not at it or performing to the maximum they can still win a game.”
Spartak Moscow visit in three days’ time as Gerrard’s side look to build on the win and a draw from their first two Europa League group games off the back of staying five points off Premiership leaders Hearts.
The Light Blues boss said: “Spartak on Thursday will be completely different. The atmosphere will be different, the fans will be behind us.
“It’s a completely different fixture from today but it’s important we come to places like this and take important points.
“I’m very pleased as we stay in that pack which is very important while this European run is going on.”
Accies boss Martin Canning was left cursing whistler Andrew Dallas for denying his side a first-half spot-kick before ruling a Daniel Candeias cross came off the arm of Penny.
He said: “It was a penalty for us in the first half. Mickel Miller cut inside Tavernier and was held back. If that was anywhere else on the park you’d get a free-kick for it 100 per cent so why don’t you give it in the penalty box?
“I don’t know if it’s because there weren’t 2000 fans behind the goal shouting for it and their first penalty was harsh.
“It hit Penny’s shoulder before coming down on to his arm. I didn’t think it was a deliberate attempt from him to block the ball with his arm.
“It’s a sore one to have lost 4-1. As I sit here I’m playing the game back in my head and wondering how we haven’t won with the chances we created. It sounds strange to say when you’ve lost the game 4-1 but we could and probably should have won that.”