Devlin wants 'ratty' Hamilton display against Dundee

Michael Devlin wants Hamilton to get ratty with the opposition to ensure their Premiership survival.

The New Douglas Park side's comprehensive 3-0 defeat by Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Sunday, which left them with two wins from 17 games, kept them in 10th place in the table, four points ahead of Kilmarnock, who are in the relegation play-off zone and nine ahead of bottom side Dundee United.

Speaking before the home game against Dundee on Saturday - the last before the split - the 22-year-old urged a return to the scurrying qualities which have kept Accies in the top flight in recent seasons.

He said: "We need to get back to basics and do what this club built its success on. That was being horrible to play against.

"We were like rats all over the pitch, we were in people's faces, and we had good quality up the pitch.

"We have probably got away from that intensity.

"We just need to get back to that and if we do, we will be fine.

"It is massive for us to get the win. It gives us a bit of momentum going into the last five games which, I know it's a cliche, are all cup finals for us.

"The reality is we are fighting for survival and every point is a prisoner. Dundee United could have gone six points behind us against Partick (but lost) and that is nothing, it's a two-game swing.

"I don't think anybody should be in any doubt that we need to start winning football matches and we need to start winning them soon.

"Dundee have improved in the years they have been back in the Premiership. Paul Hartley has done a good job there, he has recruited well and they have good quality."

Player-manager Martin Canning noted how tight the league has been this season.

He said: "It is so close. If we had picked up a couple of wins you would be looking to beat Dundee to become a top-six team.

"It is not as if we are miles behind everyone else, it is the case that we are in a group in a competitive league and we are fighting hard for what we get."