Brian Rice expressed hope for a fair wind after his Hamilton side fell further adrift at the foot of the Scottish Premiership.

Dundee United took full advantage of stand-in goalkeeper Kyle Gourlay’s poor clearance to net early on through Marc McNulty and Accies missed a series of chances to go down 1-0.

The home side had 27 efforts on goal and forced 10 corners but saw Kilmarnock move two points ahead and Ross County three after their relegations rivals drew with each other.

Gourlay was only playing because Ryan Fulton dislocated his knee in a freak accident when he slipped leaving his house during the week and there were three spare places on Rice’s bench.

Injury-hit Accies have now not won in eight games despite putting in some good performances but their next match is against their favourite opponents this season, Motherwell, who they have claimed half of their six league wins against.

Rice said: “I am gutted for the boys because of the effort they put in and we know how big a game it was.

“Not to take anything from it is hard to take but, once I go back and reflect, I will pick the positives out of it and I will be a while picking the positives out of it because there were loads.

“We just need to make sure we don’t get too down about this. We are disappointed, of course we are, but don’t get too down about it because we have a big derby match coming up next and, if we can take that performance into that, we will give ourselves a chance.

“I am a great believer that if you keep doing the right things and keep believing, then it will change. It all comes down to hard work. The wind can’t always be in your face, as my dad says. We hope it turns round.”

After coming under serious pressure either side of half-time, United regained some control in the final quarter of the game and 20-year-old debutant Florent Hoti played his part in them moving the ball better.

Manager Micky Mellon said: “We are not just a club that says ‘look at us, we play young ones’. I have always said, if they deserve to play, and we think they can make an impact for us, we will put them in.

“And Flo has been champing at the bit and knocking at the door for quite some time. I was looking at the first opportunity we could get because to be fair to him when the young ones are doing that they deserve their opportunity. I have got to show trust in them and put them in.

“He has come on and showed what a lad of great promise he is. He is a really talented boy and we want to keep pushing him on and hopefully he will keep improving and be a really big player for Dundee United.”