Devlin eager to make amends
Hamilton defender Michael Devlin is desperate to make up for the embarrassment of last month's 4-0 drubbing by Lanarkshire rivals Motherwell.
Martin Canning has not won in 13 games since taking over as player/manager from Alex Neil in January, and missed out on a top-six spot in the Scottish Premiership with a frustrating 1-0 defeat at Dundee United in their last outing.
Amid that run came a thrashing at Fir Park on March 20 which Motherwell-born Devlin admits has been the lowest point of the sorry streak.
Accies get the chance for revenge in their first post-split fixture against the Steelmen at New Douglas Park on Friday night, and the 21-year-old said: "The last time we played them it was an embarrassing day for all of us at the club.
"That's when everyone had to go home and have a hard look at themselves and what they were doing. So we will try to put that right on Friday night.
"It was a boot up the backside that everybody needed and maybe opened up their eyes a little bit and we have tried to turn a corner.
"Obviously we have not managed to win but performances have certainly been better so we will try to take that into the split and make sure we get five good results."
Devlin felt the four-goal defeat all the more given that Hamilton knocked Motherwell out of the Scottish League Cup earlier in the season before beating them 4-0 and 5-0 in the league.
"We managed to get positive results at the start of the season against Motherwell," he said.
"However, it was the exact opposite at Fir Park.
"We all know that it was a poor result for everyone associated with the club so we will try to put that right on Friday night.
"I grew up in Motherwell and a lot of people I know from school and in the area are all Motherwell fans and will all be at the game.
"So it adds a wee bit of spice. You want to show what you can do and prove that you are a good player and you want to win for your club as well.
"If you add the circumstances on top of that, Hamilton haven't won in 13 games and Motherwell are fighting for their life, it is a massive game."
Ian Baraclough believes mental strength is key to Motherwell avoiding the drop from the Scottish Premiership.
The Steelmen are in the relegation play-off spot, 12 points behind seventh-placed Hamilton.
The 44-year-old has been at times embroiled in battles at the wrong end of the table during his career - he was a player at QPR when they went down to the old Second Division in 2001 - but is confident that his squad have what it takes to survive this season.
The former Grimsby, Mansfield and Notts County defender said: "I've experienced life at the bottom as a player and as a coach and I know what it is like as a player.
"You need to be strong mentally, very positive in what you do and believe in your own abilities and your team-mates.
"We've got that strength in character, a real good work ethic as a group of players and there's been no signs of any stress whatsoever for me.
"There have been successes there but I was relegated as a player and it was a horrible feeling and one that makes sure that you don't want to taste it again.
"It's new to this club. They haven't been in this position for a while and we've got to make sure that we come out of it the right way.
"I've never given anything up when there's a chance and points to play for and a sense that you can pull others around you down - there's no defeatist attitude."
Source: PA
