Coleraine toughest draw Hamilton Accies could have asked for in SPFL Trust Trophy, says boss John Rankin

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Hamilton Accies boss John Rankin says drawing Coleraine in the SPFL Trust Trophy is the toughest tie they could have asked for.

Coleraine, fellow Northern Irish side Cliftonville, plus Welsh duo The New Saints and Bala Town all enter at this stage of the competition as part of the SPFL’s annual invite for cross-border teams to compete in the tournament.

And Accies will now travel to Coleraine on Saturday, September 9 in defence of the title they won in March, defeating Raith Rovers 1-0 with 10 men at the Falkirk Stadium.

Rankin said: “It is probably the toughest draw that we could have asked for. “Obviously we need to go to Northern Ireland for a start, and Coleraine are an unknown, for obvious reasons. “It will be difficult but it is a game we are really looking forward to. “It is an opportunity to go to a different country, adapt to those circumstances and that environment. “I’m looking to see how the players respond to it, but it is one of those situations where everyone in the draw was hoping they don’t have to go to either there or Bala Town."Accies supporters have already started booking flights, buses and ferries to get them across the Irish Sea, as they look forward to a different kind of away to the ones they have been used to in recent season.And Rankin added: "From a fans point of view, they will be absolutely buzzing. “It is something different, it is an away day out and I’m sure they will travel in their numbers. “We want to go there and give the fans something they can respond to.” Follow Lanarkshire Live Sport onTwitter via@LanLiveSport, like us onFacebookor find us onInstagramfor the latest sports news, pictures and video.