Scott Martin says the character Hamilton showed to grab a point from Motherwell will stand them in good stead in the Premiership run-in.
And the midfielder said Saturday’s 1-1 draw at New Douglas Park is one they might have lost earlier in the season.
Martin has been pleased with the direction Accies have gone in since head coach Brian Rice took the reins, and reckons that while St Mirren have closed the gap, they will look after themselves.
Saints won 3-1 at Livingston while Accies drew with Motherwell, courtesy of Marios Ogkmpoe's late leveller, and that closed the gap between them and the Paisley side to just two points. However, they did move eight points clear of basement side Dundee.
Hamilton host Livi on Saturday and their next two games are away to Dundee and St Mirren, so they will want to get as clear as possible as fast as they can.
Martin said: “We scored late on and were trying to win the game.
“Sometimes this season when we’ve gone a goal down we haven’t recovered, so I think it shows our character and what the gaffer has brought into the team – a bit of belief and stuff like that.
“He has been first-class since he’s come in. I think the boys have taken to his ideas and that shows.
“I thought we were the better side in the second half and for the first 20 minutes, but the goal obviously swayed the momentum their way.
“I’m buzzing for big Marios getting the goal. He’s a hard worker, a great guy and as strong as an ox, and I’m really buzzing for him to get his goal. I thought we could have taken all three points in the end, but you have to be happy with the point.
“Maybe at the start of the season we would have lost that game, so it’s an extra point.”
Livingston visit New Douglas Park on Saturday in a game that could be vital to Hamilton’s hopes of avoiding the play-off, and Martin is looking forward to it.
He said: “We’re aiming for the win, the three points would be massive for us. That’s what we’re going to look for, but that’s all we can look at.
“We can only affect ourselves, we can’t affect what St Mirren do, but we’re looking forward to the Livingston game.
“St Mirren and Dundee would rather be where we are. As the gaffer says, it's a three-horse race and we're leading it, so we're not in a terrible position, and it's not panic buttons yet.
"We know the situation we're in and we know we need to pick up points, wherever we can."
