Hamilton Accies stars 'playing to win coffees and Lucozades in training' to help find their way to goal in games

John Rankin's Hamilton Accies are so thirsty for goals this season the gaffer has revealed his stars are playing for coffees and Lucozades in training to help them find their shooting boots.

The New Douglas Park side have seen their frontmen struggle in front of goal this season and Accies have failed to find the net in their last two outings.

Centre-back Dan O'Reilly is the club's top scorer in the Championship this term with two goals to his name, but Rankin is determined to see that change.

He has found a novel approach to add a competitive environment to training in the hope that when Saturday comes, his strikers find the target.

Asked how he was working to change their fortunes in front of goal, Rankin explained: "You can't replicate those pressurised moments of games. The only thing you can do is make it more competitive.

"So in training it has become a case of the loser buying something or if you don't win you do a run.

"It becomes extra-competitive that way. We know when a crowd is in it is a completely different situation, but we have to use the tools that we have to try and help them so that when they see the whites of the goalie's eye, they don't become timid, they become composed in front of goal.

"It's a case of: I'll play you for a coffee or a Lucozade. It might sound silly but that competitiveness speaks to the players.

"It's that winning mentality of you don't want to lose, no matter what it is you are playing for.

"They are playing for things against each other and they don't want to be beaten.

"That's the main thing and we need to continue to get that.

"It might be a case that they need to score to stop themselves going to a shop to buy a Lucozade, but they are feeling that tiny bit of pressure that we