Hamilton Accies face Viaplay Cup 'acid test' of new squad, says boss

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Hamilton Accies boss John Rankin admits their Viaplay Cup opener against ground-sharing Clyde on Saturday will tell him where his side are in terms of preparation for their League One campaign next month.Accies kick off Group C with an ‘away’ game against Clyde at New Douglas Park on Saturday, before hosting Highland League side Brechin City on Tuesday.A trip to Premiership side Livingston on Saturday, July 22, and a visit by Cove Rangers seven days later closes out their group, before the same opponents are at New Douglas Park for the league opener on August 5.Brian McLean’s Bully Wee provide the first competitive test and Rankin knows that clash and the rest of the group games will be the gauge for how well his new-look side – which features 10 summer signings – are gelling.He said: “It’s Saturday-Tuesday, so we need to make sure everybody’s fit and ready to go.“Technically, we’ve got three home games if you look at the Clyde game, so it’s one that we’re looking forward to, one that helps you build up and judge where you are, going into the season.“We need to use it as game-time, to get the players used to one another – they’re not familiar with each other and we need to bed in a togetherness, with regards to relationships forming between defence, midfield and attack.“There’s an opportunity to do that in competitive games, and we’re looking forward to it.“Clyde are in a period of transition as well, with Brian McLean taking over, and that will be a good game.“We played them last season and it was tight – I don’t see it being any different this time.“If you look at the Brechin game as well, they won their league last season, play some really good football and I know [manager] Andy Kirk really well, coming through our