Manager Billy Reid proud of Hamilton progress

Reid was pleased with the first half display at Falkirk

Billy Reid is delighted with the advances made by Hamilton as his side continued their strong end of season run with a win at Falkirk.

"We'll give the same endeavour every week," the manager said after the 1-0 victory. "There's no way this Hamilton team will lie down to anyone.

"We have one point more than last year and that's progress, with three games to go.

"We always look to the teams above us and we hope to catch St Johnstone."

Hamilton have taken 21 points from their last 10 fixtures and the latest triumph came courtesy of a Marco Paixao header on 19 minutes.

"First half, we played some fantastic football and scored a great goal," said Reid.

"At that stage, I thought we were formidable, we were passing the ball really well and opened them up again right away. If we scored from that, I thought we would have been comfortable.

"But Falkirk are fighting for their lives and it was a really scrappy second period.

"We had a lot of problems. We had Tomas Cerny, James McArthur and Brian Easton missing, all big, big players for us.

"Martin Canning and Mark McLaughlin have been in their beds for the last few days and were running on empty, so we had to take off our two centre-backs.

"It was a make-shift team at the end, but the commitment and effort from this group of players is fantastic."

McArthur was rested after picking up a knock and Reid does not expect the midfielder to play too many more games for Accies, repeating that the club will almost certainly cash in on their prize asset over the summer.

"I know there are five or six clubs circling and why wouldn't they be, he's one of the top midfielders in Scotland," he explained.

"Certain players reach a stage when they have to move on. In the development of James McArthur, I don't know if I can bring him on much more.

"This is no disrespect to Hamilton or the players he's playing with, he's just ready to go on to a bigger club.

"Today we proved there is life after James McArthur."