Accies aiming to kickstart season in derby

HAMILTON

V MOTHERWELL

Dougie Imrie says there is an added incentive for Hamilton players to get their season back on track this weekend.

Accies host Motherwell in the first Lanarkshire derby of the season, with Martin Canning’s side on the back of a four-match losing run in the league. A promising start to the Premiership campaign stalled before the international break with losses to Celtic, Hearts, St Johnstone and Rangers, but Imrie, pictured, says the players are itching to set the record straight against their rivals.

“We prepare properly for each game, but a local derby is going to be a little extra fire in the belly from both sets of players,” he said. “There will be players that haven’t played in it yet, so they will be looking forward to it as well but for us, we’re only thinking of getting the win.”

Motherwell, meanwhile, have secured new Scotland Under-21 international Allan Campbell on a four-year contract. The 19-year-old midfielder has established himself in the first team under Stephen Robinson and made his debut with the national under-21s against England this month.

Campbell told the club’s website: “It’s been a great few weeks for me, but my aim was to firstly get into the Motherwell team and everything else has been a bonus. I owe a lot to the manager. He’s given me a chance and I appreciate that and I want to play well for him.”