DOCCURE FORCUP MALAISE ISACCIES GRAFT...

HAMILTON will need to rediscover their relentless work ethic if they are to have any chance of causing an upset against Rangers, according to midfielder Greg Docherty.

The Accies were torn apart late on in their last visit to Ibrox just a couple of weeks ago, eventually going down 6-0 before conceding another four at Tynecastle last Saturday.

Docherty is sure, though, that his side can unearth the team spirit and togetherness that earned them a surprise draw against the Light Blues in the season curtain-raiser.

“We would take a repeat of that first day of the season at Ibrox,” Docherty said. “We keep talking about these difficult fixtures but we need to deal with it.

“Our work ethic was the main thing on day one of the season, we all knew our jobs and what we were doing and things went our way.

“We rode our luck at times but we still had chances and certainly deserved a point. We stuck together and we can take heart from it.

“We didn’t defend well in the Scottish Cup game and that let us down. You know you will be under the cosh at Ibrox and they were up for it but we didn’t turn up.”

As if a visit to face Rangers on their own patch isn’t daunting enough, Hamilton seem to have a knack of aligning the timing of their matches there with landmark occasions for the home side.

Docherty knows getting a result may depend on Accies being able to block out what is happening off the pitch, as much as dealing with the challenges they face on it.

He said: “There is going to be so much focus on the game with the new Rangers manager but we need to try and make amends for our last visit.”