Smith lauds depleted Rangers

17 January 2010 11:44
Smith was not even able to fill the bench, with several youngsters named as substitutes to make up the numbers as so many first-team regulars were unavailable.[LNB]It was Nacho Novo - playing up front alongside Kyle Lafferty - who proved to be the difference between the two sides on a day where Hamilton would be justified in feeling aggrieved at ending the game empty-handed.[LNB]With his usual strike partnership of Kenny Miller and Kris Boyd unavailable through suspension and injury respectively, Smith says it was important for those who did play to make the most of their chance in difficult circumstances.[LNB]He said: "It was an opportunity for them, there is no doubt about that. But putting them in for the first time and the number of changes we had to make made it awkward for the lads.[LNB]"It was the same with Maurice Edu and Kevin Thomson. I was just delighted that we got the goal considering we were down to the bare minimum of players."[LNB]Novo netted with 12 minutes to go, after Mickael Antoine-Curier and Marco Paixao had spurned decent opportunities for Accies.[LNB]Smith added: "We didn't play well at all in the first half. Accies were the better side and we struggled to get to grips with them in all areas of the pitch.[LNB]"In the second half, we picked up a bit, played better and imposed ourselves on the game more and I was delighted that we got that late goal."[LNB]Rangers face Hamilton for a third consecutive time in Tuesday's Active Nation Scottish Cup replay at Ibrox after being held to a 3-3 draw last Sunday.[LNB]And Smith does not expect his options to improve greatly for that game.[LNB]He said: "Kenny Miller will be back from suspension but I don't think anyone else will be back from injury.[LNB]"DaMarcus Beasley and Steven Naismith might be okay for next weekend but we will wait and see on both of them."[LNB]Hamilton manager Billy Reid clearly felt his side deserved something from today's game and admitted afterwards: "It was a sore one. The players are downbeat after the performance they put in.[LNB]"We were the better side in the first half, we created chances and we should have been ahead at half-time.[LNB]"We knew they would come at us in the second half and they scored a late goal. On another day, we might have got the break and the ball would have gone in for us."[LNB]Looking ahead to the cup tie, he added: "It's a different arena and Rangers will be at home. The most important thing is that we continue to make progress at this club and, against the Old Firm, we are making progress."[LNB][LNB][LNB]

Source: Team_Talk