Falkirk defeat was tough to take but we lacked composure, admits Accies boss

Hamilton Accies boss John Rankin reckons lack of composure in the box cost his side against Falkirk, and was bitterly disappointed to end up on the losing side.

Calumn Morrison’s wonder-strike 10 minutes from time gave the Bairns all three points at the Falkirk Stadium, and kept their relentless Championship title charge on track as they moved five points clear of second-placed Livingston.

The defeat dropped Hamilton down to eighth in the table, but Rankin was pleased with their overall performance.

He said: “I’m really disappointed with the result – to lose here was a tough one to take.

“When you look at it over the piece, I thought we did enough to get a point from the game, if not more.

“We lacked that bit of quality in the last wee bit – not even round about the box, but in it.

“I think Kyle MacDonald has two chances early doors, Stevie Bradley has a chance that goes over the bar, Connor Smith makes the goalkeeper make a save, so we had chances.

“It was chances that made Falkirk work, but it was just lacking that wee bit of quality, maybe trying to get a shot away too quickly, rather than composing ourselves and getting it away within an extra split-second, which might have given us a wee bit more time to get accurate.

“At the bottom end of the pitch, I thought the defence and full-backs were really good, defending against their wingers, who are really good quality.

“We stopped the flow of balls coming into the box, and in previous times here we’ve allowed them in too easily.

“I’m bitterly disappointed with the result, but really pleased with the performance.”

Accies captain Scott Martin forced Bairns keeper Nicky Hogarth into a save to deny his 25-yard strike.

Falkirk’s Calvin Miller fired just wide, before Ethan