Hamilton Accies' home form 'our biggest problem right now', says boss John Rankin after Annan shocker

Hamilton Accies boss John Rankin admits their home form has to change fast if they are to maintain any hopes of a successful season.

Saturday's shock defeat to lowly Annan means Rankin's side have won just once in their last five home games in League One, which has left them with a mountain to climb to catch leaders Falkirk.

Accies are eight points adrift of the Bairns, having played a game more, and face John McGlynn's side at the Falkirk Stadium this coming weekend in a top of the table clash, where defeat would effectively end their title hopes.

And Rankin says his side need to get back to making New Douglas Park a fortress this season.

He said: "That is our biggest issue right now, solving the home form.

"We've been beaten by Falkirk, drew with Kelty, beat Cove, drew with Montrose and lost to Annan so that is really disappointing.

"We need to be able to deal with the pressure that comes with playing at home and the way other teams set up.

"We need to be patient enough to break teams down and be horrible enough to not give away chances at the other end.

"I felt we weren't that horrible, ugly way we have been in the past.

"We'd only conceded 13 league goals before the Annan game and we've conceded three in one game at home against them.

"That is bitterly disappointing and we need to get back to keeping clean sheets."

On the challenge facing his side on Saturday at Falkirk, who have yet to lose a league game all season, Rankin said: "Now we are playing a team who is top of the league and we need to go there and put on a really battling performance to get the three points.

"Every game is a must-win if we have any aspirations of doing what we want to do."

Follow Lanarkshire Live Sport onX via@LanLiveSport, like us onFaceb