Rangers v Hamilton Accies match preview

Following the tough loss to Hearts and the realization that the January transfer winter will have a foreboding financial side to it, Rangers welcome the Hamilton Accies to Ibrox. The SPL's early season swagger is long goal and they hold a glimmer of a one point advantage over St Mirren in the final spot. Walter Smith's Gers have yet to lose a match at Ibrox this season and with Celtic holding a seven point advantage, title hopes are slowly disappearing.

The Rangers are nearly fully fit and will have Steven Davis, Kenny Miller and Saša Papac back although Steven Naismith and Brahim Hemdani are still out. Hamilton manager Billy Reid will not have the services of Mark Corcoran but Simon Mensing returns from the sin-bin.

The Rangers are drifting in a peculiar place, both seven points ahead of Hearts and seven points behind Celtic and it is easy to be distracted. They must press for victories and wait patiently for every Celtic slip-up.

Walter Smith said of the todays match:

"What we need is consistency. We have had two poor performances - St Mirren and Hearts away - but otherwise we have played to a decent level."

"I would hope we get a reaction from the players and we need to have one. We have a good record at home and we have been playing well there so hopefully that will continue.

"We found ourselves seven points in front last season and missed out because of the number of games we had out so we know that reaching a level of consistency is what we need.

"The only people who are talking about the gap are Celtic. They know they will need to keep playing at a certain level and in fairness to them they have been extremely consistent.

"But I am more concerned about my own team."