Hamilton Academical 2 - 2 Motherwell

Reid hails Gannon effort

Updated: November 6, 2009, 5:48 PM UK

Hamilton boss Billy Reid has put Lanarkshire rivalry to one side to applaud the job Jim Gannon has done at Motherwell this season.

Gannon brings his young side to New Douglas Park having confounded expectations they would struggle this term.

With just one Clydesdale Bank Premier League defeat and an unbeaten record away from home, Motherwell lie fourth in the table with more than a quarter of the season gone.

Reid told Press Association Sport: "Some of the results they've had have been incredible, for me.

"I've seen them once or twice and they've done okay, but they seem to have the ability to win matches and pick up points, and it's all credit to what Jim Gannon's done at the club.

"He's given two or three of the younger players an opportunity to come in and play, and they've repaid him with some fantastic performances and results.''

As a man who prides himself on bringing through young players, Reid is particularly impressed by the way Gannon has put his faith in youth.

But the Accies boss' will leave his admiration in the New Douglas Park dressing room tomorrow as he bids to even the score in recent derby meetings between the sides.

"It's a game we're looking forward to,'' he said.

"We had five smashing games last year. I think Motherwell won three of them and we won two, so it's all to play for.

"They've done really well this season and we feel as if we're starting to get there.

"I did say that things were improving and that continued on Saturday.

"We feel as though we're getting to where we should be at the moment.''

Second-bottom Hamilton secured a vital victory at St Mirren last weekend, only their second win of the season.

Hamilton captain Alex Neil is unlikely to make his first appearance of the season.

Neil's bid to build up his match fitness following summer hip surgery suffered a setback when this week's behind-closed-doors friendly against Dundee United was postponed due to bad weather.

Long-term casualties Derek Lyle and James Gibson both remain on the sidelines with knee problems, while young striker Gary Gow is out with a broken elbow.

Left-back Stevie Hammell will miss out for Motherwell.

Hammell is still nursing a hamstring strain and will be given the international break to recover.

Paul Slane (calf) is still missing but Motherwell have no fresh injuries.

Lukas Jutkiewicz admits he would not want to leave Motherwell in January if it meant losing out on regular first-team football.

The on-loan Everton striker this week picked up the Clydesdale Bank young player of the month award after netting three goals during Motherwell's unbeaten SPL run in October.

The first of those, a winning header against Falkirk, was his first goal for two and a half years since leaving Swindon in a deal worth up to £1million.

The 20-year-old is beginning to hit the form which persuaded David Moyes to invest such money as he builds up his sharpness.

Jutkiewicz, whose loan expires in January, has only played once for Everton and has also spent short loan spells at Plymouth and Huddersfield, so he is relishing the first-team environment.

"That's the thing I came up here for, regular football, so it's been a big bonus,'' he said. "So going back down to Everton and not playing wouldn't help me but I will leave it for the clubs to decide.

"There have not been any talks yet and I'm not really looking for talks just yet. I just want to keep playing and hopefully keep scoring.

"There are still two months before my contract here expires and that's a long time in football, so hopefully I will keep scoring goals and keep playing and the two clubs can agree whatever or I go back to Everton.

"I've not thought too much about it.''

Jutkiewicz added: "With every match I feel sharper because I didn't have much of a pre-season.

"The lads have been playing competitive games in the summer in the Europa League so in terms of fitness they were ahead of me, and I was quite keen to turn that around.

"Regular games have helped me massively. I feel fitter and sharper and hopefully that will continue.''