Craig Brown warns Aberdeen they face a battle at Hamilton

Published on Sunday 24 April 2011 17:07

Manager Craig Brown says his Aberdeen side must be prepared for a fight this afternoon against a Hamilton side scrapping for Clydesdale Bank Premier League survival.

Brown takes his Dons team to his home town, where Accies are seeking to build on their defeat of Hibernian last weekend with a first home win of the season.

Although 12 points clear of Accies, mathematically, the tenth-placed Dons are not yet safe. And Brown knows his side - with one win in their last ten games - must be ready for a battle at New Douglas Park.

He said: "There's pressure to win every match and Hamilton are up for it because they won for the first time in a long time at Easter Road. It will be a highly-competitive match. They're fighting for their lives, but we've got to get a result to try to get some stability back. I think it will be quite an onslaught Hamilton will give us on Monday."

Despite five straight losses in April, Brown is confident his side can turn their fortunes around, having performed well in the defeats to Hibs and Rangers and in the Scottish Cup semi-final loss to Celtic, when they were reduced to ten men early in the second half. Brown added: "There are encouraging signs and we've got guys desperate to come on, guys like Michael Paton and Peter Pawlett, and they are talented players.

"There's certainly no despondency. We've had indifferent results recently. We're the first to admit that and take responsibility for it. If we measure up and have the determination that will be required at Hamilton it should get us the points."

Brown, who was appointed boss in December, is continually working to try to strengthen his squad next season. But he already believes four players have been recruited, with Fraser Fyvie, Darren Mackie and Yoann Folly to come back from long-term injuries and Richard Foster to return from his season-long loan at Rangers.

Brown added: "We're on the case, but it will take time. I think it will take until after the end of the season before we add to the playing staff. Hopefully there will be new players, but the nucleus of the team is all here when they're all fit. We've got four new players - Fraser Fyvie's a new player for us and so is Darren Mackie and Yoann Folly's half a new player for us, because we only had him for a few games. And, of course, we're getting Rickie Foster back here."