John Rankin says the performance of his teenage starlets in Hamilton's SPFL Trust Trophy win over Inverness last week has given him food for thought ahead of the Highlanders returning on league business this Saturday - and has added "extra bite" to training.The Accies boss started 16-year-olds Ryan One and Gabe Forsyth 16, as well as 17-year-old Chris McGinn and 19-year-old Fergus Owens in last week's clash, before bringing on 16-year-olds Lewis Latona, Ben Black and Liam Morgan and 17-year-old Cian Newbury late in the game.They all impressed their gaffer and he admits with them potentially pushing first-team regulars for a place when Inverness come calling in the Championship, it has lifted the levels around the squad this week.Rankin revealed: "Coming into the league game, the kids who did come in for the cup game have impacted our thoughts for this weekend."They came in and showed they can play at that level, so they need to maintain their standards."What it has done as well is give training a bit of extra bite because we've now got boys who were on the bench that want to be a part of it this week and boys who were in the stand and weren't stripped on Saturday, wanting to be involved as well."The wee bit of bite in training has been good, albeit we've not had a large area to train in because the majority of the pitch is frozen."But I can see a bit of niggle, which I like."It's only going to drive everyone.

The younger ones get better with that bit of niggle because they realise they need to move the ball quicker to take the physicality out of things."I've been there myself as a senior player when there are new kids coming on the block and you don't want to give them your jersey, so there is a pride element to it as

Hamilton Accies v Inverness: Rankin says cup display from kids has given him food for thought in league clash

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