Canning lashes out over Accies’ over-confidence
Hamilton boss Martin Canning slammed his players for believing they only had to turn up to beat Dundee.
His men didn’t start performing until they were already a goal down. Although Accies created a number of chances in the second half, their poor first 45 minutes cost them in the end.
It meant Dundee secured a league victory for the first time this term. Canning was frustrated that Accies were unable to follow up their convincing win over St Mirren.
He said: “We talked all week about one good game against St Mirren not making you a good team.
“You have to do more than that.
“I think we had too many thinking that just by turning up we’d produce that type of performance without actually doing the important bits of the game well.
“We did it in the second half and I can’t be disappointed with them for that. Had we scored one goal, I think we’d probably have gone on and won the game because we were so dominant.
“In the first half, we didn’t play well enough but Dundee didn’t really create much.
“We lost a poor goal from a free-kick we really didn’t need to give away.” Canning was pleased with the reaction he got after the break and believes Dundee can count themselves lucky to escape with a clean sheet.
He went on: “I asked the boys at half-time to express themselves a bit more. They did that and I really enjoyed watching it. Unfortunately, we just couldn’t put the ball in the net.
“On another day, we’d probably score two or three goals with the chances we created. “By all accounts Dundee haven’t been getting a break, but they have today because I don’t know how we haven’t taken something from the game.” Accies were without last weekend’s two-goal hero Mickel Miller because of injury. The manager wasn’t looking to his absence as an excuse. He said: “Mikel felt his hamstring and didn’t think he was ready to play.
“He and Darian Mackinnon didn’t miss out by much and we hope to get them back doing a bit this week and see how they are for Saturday at Hibs.
“The team that started, apart from those two, was the same as last week. “Sam Kelly has been desperate to play. He didn’t take his chance. Rakish Bingham and James Keatings came on later and took their opportunity.”