Neil looking for Hamilton response
Raised eyebrows at two successive defeats for Hamilton is testament to how well the Lanarkshire club have performed this season, according to player/manager Alex Neil.
After losing at home to Inverness on the opening day of the Scottish Premiership campaign after coming up from the Championship via the play-off, Accies went on an 11-game unbeaten run which took them top of the table and into the Scottish League Cup quarter-finals.
The Lanarkshire side remain top despite their 2-0 defeat by Dundee at Dens Park last week and they were knocked out of the cup by Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Wednesday night.
It was the first time Neil's side had suffered back-to-back defeats since losing at home to Dundee and Alloa in the Championship last November and December respectively.
Ahead of the visit of Partick Thistle on Saturday, the midfielder, who has no injury problems, said: "If you look at a club of our size, to go a full year only losing two games in a trot is remarkable really.
"After the Inverness game, everyone was saying we would be lucky to string two wins together.
"It is credit to how well the players have done. We are top of the league after 11 games and it really doesn't get much better than this for us, albeit we have lost two games.
"23 points after 11 games is a magnificent start and we need to maintain that as long as possible.
"Out of 13 or 14 games this season, the Aberdeen game in midweek is the one where we haven't really performed so that is a good ratio as far as I am concerned.
"Over the last year our record has been excellent and we have bounced back really well from defeats.
"What we need to do now is focus on the things that got us where we are but that is not easy to maintain.
"Tomorrow we will be looking to first and foremost put on a good performance and the result will take care of itself."
Defender Martin Canning admits it is crucial that Accies do not allow two defeats to turn into three against the Jags.
"It is very important," said the 32-year-old. "You don't want to get on a run of losing games because it is diffiult to change it.
"When you get on a run of games momentum builds and you continue to win, the same thing happens in reverse with defeats.
"We want to avoid that.
"By our standards, it is disappointing to lose two but it is part and parcel of the game. You don't get this level if you are not used to dealing with defeats.
"We didn't get carried away by the good run and we won't get carried away by two defeats.
"It is just a case of preparing for Partick and try to win that."
Partick boss Alan Archibald will appeal the red card Stuart Bannigan picked up in the League Cup quarter-final clash against Celtic in midweek after reviewing it on DVD.
The Jags midfielder was sent packing by referee Kevin Clancy just before the interval at Parkhead for a challenge on Hoops striker John Guidetti who ended up with a hat-trick as the home side ran out easy 6-0 winners.
After the game the Firhill boss said: "I think it probably is a red nowadays" but, after watching the match again, he re-assessed his position and his appeal means Bannigan is available for the trip to Hamilton on Saturday.
"We are appealing it so he will be available," said Archibald.
"There are different boxes you have to tick for it to be a red card and when we played our footage back and had a good look at it, we think there is enough there to appeal.
"My mind hasn't changed, the biggest disappointment is that he didn't have to make the challenge, not the type of challenge it was.
"It was aggressive but there has to be a few other boxes ticked to make it a sending off."
Archibald is looking for his side to show "character" against the Premiership leaders who snatched two late goals to win 2-1 when they visited Firhill in August, a game which the Maryhill manager admits is "probably" the most disappointing of the season to date.
The former Partick and Dundee United defender said: "Since I took charge, any time they have had a bad result they have bounced back and we will be looking for that on Saturday.
"We looked at the footage of the Celtic game, we had to address it but it is finished now and we move on.
"But we did enough in the last match (against Hamilton) to believe that we can go and hurt them.
"When you are winning the game with five minutes to go, you should at least get a point. So it was disappointing.
"But it is a different Hamilton, they are now top of the league and playing with a lot of confidence so they will fancy their chances.
"They lost their first game (to Inverness) but it was a great reaction from them and they have been outstanding. Hats off to them.
"It just shows the difference confidence makes to a football team.
"We have to work as hard as them and match their energy because they have that in abundance.
"Now they have confidence as well so we have to match them in every aspect."
Christie Elliott and Stephen O'Donnell are both doubts with knocks, while Gary Fraser (knee) and Sean Welsh (groin) are still out for the visitors.
Source: PA
