MX23RW : Wednesday, November 11 22:46:00| >> :60:2028:2028:
Jan 18, 2020 at 3pm UK at New Douglas Park
Attendance: 1,040
HamiltonHamilton Academical
5-0
EdinburghEdinburgh City
Dales (21'), McMann (26'), Martin (44'), Winter (80'), Miller (84')
FT(HT: 3-0)

Brian Rice hoping Hamilton can sustain cup run

Brian Rice hoping Hamilton can sustain cup run
© Reuters
Hamilton do not have an excellent record in the Scottish Cup.

Boss Brian Rice wants Hamilton to make a long-awaited impact in the William Hill Scottish Cup this season.

The Lanarkshire side start the competition with a home tie in the fourth round, against Edinburgh City on Saturday.

Major cup competitions have not been kind to Accies over the years, with two losing Scottish Cup final appearances in 1911 and 1935 their high watermark in the tournament, and the latter year also representing their last appearance in the semi-finals.

However Rice, who was assistant to John Hughes when Falkirk reached the final in 2009 only to be beaten 1-0 by Rangers, wants Hamilton to start making amends as they prepare to face a side who are second to Cove Rangers in the table.

He said: "I am always one to talk about performance but in a cup tie it is about winning.

"I think it is maybe time that Hamilton tried to have a cup run.

"We got through the group stages of the Betfred Cup and got beat 1-0 by Kilmarnock in extra time.

"But the Scottish Cup has always been a massive thing for me.

"I got to the final with Falkirk with Yogi (Hughes), when we played Rangers.

"It was everything you dream of. You start out in January, as we do, and you want to get through this round and then you are waiting on the draw being made and it is great.

"There are only two trophies you can win. Realistically you can't win the league, Celtic and Rangers will predominantly win the league.

"So it is a chance for a club to get to a final and get a wee bit of success. Why not us?

"I don't there is any reason why any team shouldn't have a cup run. It is on the day and that is the good thing for me.

"We all want to be there at Hampden in May. We don't want to be there as fans, watching it on the telly abroad, we want to be part of it."

The former Hibernian, Nottingham Forest and Falkirk midfielder will welcome a familiar face to Hamilton.

He said: "It's my first Scottish Cup tie (with Hamilton) and it is funny it comes against Edinburgh City, where Jim Jefferies is.

"Jim is the director of football and obviously I know him really well.

"He brought me back to Scotland from England and someone I have kept close contact with for many years and a man I greatly respect.

"I have seen him at the games, I have been to watch Edinburgh and have been picking his brains about a lot of things so it will be good to see him again."

ID:386166:cQx

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Jim Jefferies pictured in December 2013
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Todays Game Header Right
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1RangersRangers1412203733438
2Celtic1292132112129
3Aberdeen128221911826
4Hibernian137331712524
5Dundee UnitedDundee Utd144551017-717
6Kilmarnock134271515014
7Motherwell124261417-314
8St Johnstone134271016-614
9Ross County14347923-1413
10Livingston143381423-912
11St Mirren11227615-98
12Hamilton AcademicalHamilton122191333-207

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