Devlin does not expect any end to hostilities
NO ONE can pinpoint precisely when Dundee and Hamilton began to rub each other up the wrong way but relations certainly nosedived after their joust for the Championship flag two years ago.
Despite Hamilton seeing off Morton 10-2 that day, Dundee’s 2-1 success over Dumbarton was not only enough to claim automatic promotion but proved to be the cue for the Dens Park club to lord it over a side that had tried to chase them down in the final straight.
When Accies were subsequently also promoted via the play-offs that year, the rivalry continued in the top flight and, to this day, there is a distinct lack of bonhomie between the pair.
Dougie Imrie’s equalising goal on the opening clash of this season was celebrated in full view of the Dundee dugout and, were it not for some quick thinking, Dens assistant Gerry McCabe may have cut the winger’s joy short with some direct action.
All of which makes Hamilton’s trip to Tayside this afternoon anything but a walk in the park against a side whose season might well be petering out.
‘Since we both got promoted from the Championship, there has always been a bit of needle between the teams,’ said Accies defender Mikey Devlin.
‘Both of us were going for the league that year and Dundee narrowly pipped us on the last day. I don’t think they will be any less up for this game, regardless of what happened in the Dundee derby (a 2-1 win last Monday night).
‘They’ll be bang at it come Saturday and trying to finish as high up the league as they possibly can. They’ll be trying their best to get a result and so will we.
‘Paul Hartley has done a great job, got them promoted from the Championship and has now established them as a good Premiership side.
‘He has made some astute signings, especially in the forward area of the pitch, who have been really successful for him.
‘I think he’ll be disappointed to have missed out on the top six this year because they are a good side and they’ll not feel they are any worse than a couple of the teams in the top six.
‘Maybe they’ll have some comedown from the derby but, at the same time, they’ll want some revenge on us because if they had beaten us a couple of weeks ago they would have finished in the top six.’
Regardless of who they were facing, this week was going to be one of deep introspection from all of Martin Canning’s players.
Last week’s four-goal hiding at home to Kilmarnock brought no positives — aside from the realisation that survival is still in their own hands.
‘Saturday was hugely disappointing for us all,’ said Devlin. ‘We analysed it on Monday to look at where we made mistakes — and there were a lot across the pitch.
‘The disappointing thing was not just the result — which was nowhere near good enough and embarrassing — but also the performance, which was nowhere near the level required to get a result in this league.
‘The manager has challenged us all to bounce back, not only with our performance but a positive result, and we’ll do everything in our power to make sure that happens.
‘We have a point to prove. That was not Hamilton Accies last weekend and we have to prove that for ourselves, the manager and the fans because what we produced on such a big occasion wasn’t good enough.
‘Any team can lose a game but there’s a way to do that and we didn’t show it.’
Despite the comprehensive nature of the defeat, not a single Hamilton player would swap places with their Kilmarnock counterparts.
Were Accies to leave Tayside with a win today, a Thistle victory at Rugby Park would settle the issue before the midweek card comes into view.
‘It’s still in our hands,’ added Devlin. ‘I’m pretty sure (Killie boss) Lee Clark would rather be in our position.’