Hamilton Accies lacked 'urgency and intensity' during defeat to champions Falkirk, says Rankin

Hamilton Accies boss John Rankin felt his side lacked ‘urgency and intensity’ in their defeat to League One champions Falkirk on Saturday.

Having lost out on the title to the Bairns, Accies had a chance to gain some form of revenge by halting Falkirk’s incredible unbeaten run but the visitors extended their record to 33 games with a 2-0 win at New Douglas Park.

Ross MacIver pounced on a rebound five minutes into the second half to break the deadlock and then Aidan Nesbitt robbed Ben Williamson of possession on the edge of the box to net the clincher four minutes from time.

It consigned Accies to a third defeat in four meetings with the Bairns this season - the other was a 0-0 draw - and ended Hamilton’s unbeaten streak of six games.

Rankin said: “We are disappointed with the result. I don’t think there was a lot in the game in the first half.

“We have two good chances - Stephen Hendrie when he is one-on-one and Ahkeem Rose with his header over the bar - but we don’t take them and when you don’t take your chances, you get punished.

“I don’t think we were cut open at any time.

“In the second half, they got the free-kick and we don’t react well enough when the ball comes off the post so I am disappointed to concede that one.

“After that, I felt we lacked urgency and intensity to get back into it, which is disappointing.

“We chase it and change various things, but the second goal is as poor a goal as we have conceded all season.

“We get caught and find ourselves 2-0 down.

“We have been on a good run recently but unfortunately we couldn’t get anything out of this game.”

Accies were missing several players for the clash and Rankin admitted that while that didn’t help their cause, he was not using it as an excuse.

He added: “We