Hamilton boss Brian Rice has revealed his players 'held their hands up' to costly mistakes in the shock Betfred Cup defeat to Annan.
Accies slumped to a 3-1 loss at Galabank to open their group campaign, with the team returning to training at New Douglas Park today.
After a furious reaction from fans, gaffer Rice said the squad have watched back the game and apologised for "individual errors".
He says the players are desperate to bounceback from the horror show against Ayr this weekend.
"Nobody likes to be slated but we know what we are trying to do here and what we are trying to build," said Rice.
"I take the majority of the blame but sometimes players have to hold their hands up and say they made an individual mistake.
"The players have sat and watched it and held their hands up to the mistakes.
"Anyone who wasn't at the game would look at the result, but if you were at the game it could have been done and dusted in the first 30 minutes for us - but it wasn't.
"I understand fan criticism but it keeps driving me on.
"It's part of the parcel of football and it always will be. Social media now is a massive part of life and I totally understand peoples frustartions.
"We had enough experience and quality players on that pitch to win the game, but we didn't. I've got a job to do and I need to pick these boys up.
"If we score first it's a completely different game and we had enough chances to do that on Tuesday. The boys know what they need to do on Saturday.
"We need to cut out individual mistakes and take chances at the other end.
"We talk about individual mistakes, but my strikers haven't scored a goal yet this season, so I'm hurting for them as well that they haven't managed to break their duck.
"Football players hurt as well. They aren't immune from it, but it's the occupation we are in. People are allowed to call for your head and for you to lose your job.
"The players know they have a big game on Saturday. Ayr will come full of confidence having score five goals so it will be a very, very difficult game."
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