We're our own worst enemies in League Cup, says Martin Canning
They've only won one of their opening three group stage fixtures
Last updated 27th Jul 2018
Martin Canning fears Hamilton's League Cup campaign is already over - despite still having a shot at securing second place in Group F.
Accies are unable to catch leaders Livingston, but victory over Lanarkshire rivals Airdrieonians on Saturday will propel them up two places from fourth.
But with only the top four section runners-up qualifying for the knock-out rounds, boss Canning admits his side's chances look slim.
Hamilton suffered defeat to Ladbrokes League Two minnows Annan in the competition opener then blew a chance to claim a bonus point in their shoot-out with Livingston when skipper Darian MacKinnon's Panenka-style penalty sailed over the bar.
The New Douglas Park outfit did finally pick up their first win with a 4-0 drubbing of Berwick Rangers but Canning confessed the damage has already been done.
He said: "If we win on Saturday we will finish second but I don't know if seven points will be enough.
"Losing to Annan and then the penalty shoot-out against Livingston looks like it might cost us.
"We should never have lost that game down at Annan but we did. We then put ourselves in a decent position against Livi but again failed to get the result and it has left us with a mountain to climb.
"All we can do now is try to win on Saturday and see where that leaves us.''
There were signs of encouragement for the Hamilton manager at Shielfield Park as his side blew away the Wee Gers.
Mickel Miller grabbed a hat-trick as he opened his Accies account, while on-loan Norwich midfielder Adam Phillips strolled through his debut.
But Scott McMann was the stand-out performer and Canning is already hatching a plan to get the best out of the left-back.
"Scott is a powerful boy but at times last season we had to play him at left centre-back and that meant we didn't get to see much of his biggest asset, which is going forward,'' he said.
"When you get him one-on-one, he's so hard to stop with his pace and strength. On top of that he has a great left foot and puts in some great deliveries.
"Hopefully we can see more of that this season. We've brought Lenny Sowah back in, and he can play left centre-back.
"There's also Ziggy Gordon, Shaun Want, Alex Penny and I'll be looking to bring in another defender before the window shuts, so we're hopefully going to have the strength and depth at centre-back to allow Scott to play one up where he's most effective.'