Canning: Docherty still a Hamilton player

Posted Monday, January 22, 2018 by PA

Hamilton boss Martin Canning does not believe Greg Docherty will be affected by ongoing transfer speculation and is confident the in-demand midfielder will be back in the Accies squad for the midweek visit of Hearts.

Docherty missed Hamilton’s 2-0 William Hill Scottish Cup derby defeat at Motherwell on Saturday with an ankle injury amid reports he is a transfer target for Rangers.

The Ibrox club are rumoured to have had a bid in the region of £300,000 for the 21-year-old knocked back earlier this week.

“Nothing has changed and Greg is still a Hamilton player,” Canning said after his side’s cup exit.

“It’s part of the game, but as everything stands he’s a Hamilton player and we’re trying to get him back fit for Wednesday.

“He’s a very mature young boy. He knows he needs to keep his head down and work hard. That’s the reason people are talking about him, because he is mature and he does his job properly, and I don’t expect that to change.

“Greg’s kept informed by the club but at the moment, as far as I know, the value the club place on him hasn’t been met.”

Asked if he expects Docherty to remain at Hamilton, Canning said: “I do, yes.”

Docherty was one of four key players missing as Accies fell to a derby defeat at Fir Park, with Ali Crawford and Antonio Rojano both injured and Ioannis Skondras suspended.

Hamilton gifted their Lanarkshire neighbours an early lead when defender Scott McCann overhit his back pass past keeper Gary Woods and into his net in the fourth minute.

Craig Tanner doubled Motherwell’s lead from the spot before half-time after new signing Curtis Main was tripped by Alexander Gogic to end a nine-match winless run and send the Steelmen into the Scottish Cup fifth round.

Fir Park boss Stephen Robinson was delighted with his team’s response to their last competitive outing – a 3-1 home defeat against Accies in the league before the winter break.

“I thought we were efficient, we were comprehensive, and we got back to what we do best,” Robinson said.

“We were aggressive, there was a tempo about us, and we won the physical battle. That’s what I felt let us down in the last game against Hamilton.”

Canning added: “The goals were crazy. It’s a bad mistake for the first and we had countless chances to clear the ball for the second. You don’t expect to see that at this level.

“We never got going, and that’s the biggest disappointment.

“We showed a desire and commitment in the second half but now we just need to re-group and go again on Wednesday.”