Hamilton Academical VS Ross County, two teams for a point

Match Time：2/4/2021 02:00 Thursday  (GMT+8)

Scottish Premier League --  Hamilton Academical   VS   Ross County

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The Scottish Premiership's bottom two face each other on Wednesday evening as Hamilton Academical host Ross County, with both sides hoping to bounce back from defeats last week.  

Hamilton are currently at the foot of the table, one point behind the Staggies who have lost more top-flight matches than any other side this campaign. 

 

Match preview

Hamilton lost their 17th league match of the season as they were beaten 2-0 away at Celtic last Wednesday.   

Head coach Brian Rice was "proud" of his team who he felt "defended resolutely" despite conceding twice and losing the game, and now hopes to take that positivity into the next match and build on their solid performance.  

Rice will now look forward to a reunion with Staggies boss John Hughes, who he was assistant to at Falkirk, Hibernian and Inverness before he took over as Hamilton boss in January 2019.  

The Accies, who have conceded 49 goals from their 24 league matches this campaign, have kept a clean sheet in both of their last two home league games – the last time they kept three in a row on home soil was back in August 2015.  

Hamilton are looking to win back-to-back Scottish Premiership meetings against Ross County, who they beat 2-0 in December, for the first time since December 2014 under former boss Alex Neil.  

Securing all three points would move the Accies off the bottom of the table, switching places with the Staggies and moving level on points with Motherwell, if they were to lose at home to Dundee United.  

Ross County boss John Hughes was left "disappointed" after his side failed to hold on to an early first-half lead as Motherwell came from behind to win 2-1 away from home.   

Oli Shaw broke the deadlock after 14 minutes, but second-half strikes from Devante Cole and Bevis Mugabi turned the game on its head, handing the Staggies their seventh loss at Victoria Park this season. 

Since Hughes took over from Stuart Kettlewell before Christmas, Ross County have lost five of their eight matches and have fluctuated in and out of the bottom two. However, impressive wins against Hibernian and Aberdeen have given the Staggies belief that they can survive and move away from danger.  

Ross County head into Wednesday's match having lost eight of their last nine away league outings, however they did win away at the Accies back in August, securing a slender 1-0 victory.  

Claiming another three points on the road in midweek could move the Staggies out of the bottom two, if Motherwell were to lose to Dundee United.  

 

Hamilton Academical Scottish Premiership form: LDLLDL  

Ross County Scottish Premiership form: LDLWLL  

 

Team News   

Hamilton's David Templeton (groin), Lewis Smith (hamstring) and Will Collar (knee) all remain out with injuries.  

Forward Andrew Winter, who has appeared off the bench in their last two matches, is pushing to start up front, although Brian Rice may decide to keep David Moyo and Marios Ogkmpoe together in attack.  

Ross County's only injury concern is defender Tom Grivosti, who remains out with a hamstring problem.  

Seventeen-year-old centre-back Leo Hjelde, who made his debut for the club against Rangers after signing on loan from Celtic, is set to keep his place alongside Callum Morris at the heart of defence.  

 

Hamilton Academical possible starting lineup: 

Fulton; Hamilton, A. Martin, Easton; Hodson, Odoffin, Stirling, Callachan, McMann; Moyo, Ogkmpoe  

 

Ross County possible starting lineup: 

Laidlaw; Naismith, Morris, Hjelde, Iacovitti; Charles-Cook, Paton, Vigurs, Draper, Hylton; Shaw    

 

Hamilton Academical 1-1 Ross County