Ali Crawford has taken the blame for missing the chance that denied Hamilton Accies a shock win at Pittodrie but that has only redoubled his determination to help his club end their win-less streak in the Lanarkshire derby.

The 25-year-old midfielder’s future has generated considerable speculation lately, but his on-going passion for his club, having been a regular in the first team squad since his teens, was evident in both his disappointment following Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat and ambition to help turn things around.

“I have got a chance two minutes before they score,” he said.

“If I take that it is a completely different game and we would have had a lead to hold on to. They have then gone up the park and scored. It is hard to take.

“The chances turn and change games.

“We are creating but we aren’t taking them and it is coming back to bite us on the bum.

“If we score first we need to try and score again to give us some breathing room.

“We are conceding late on and instead of taking three points we are only taking one. That is something we need to change.”

Crawford reckons the team is playing better than a run without a win that dates back to their previous meeting with Aberdeen in October, while they have won just one of their last 16 matches in all.

However with the Premiership’s mid-season shut down immediately following this weekend’s visit of Motherwell - who were 4-2 winners when the sides met in September - he believes Accies just need a break of a different kind.

“The majority of the games we have played well but whether is luck or bad finishing from me or the team it is something we have been unable to put our finger or and been able to change,” he admitted.

“We need to find a resolution quickly or we could be cut adrift at the bottom of the league.

“We were 3-0 down after 15 minutes when we played Motherwell last time and we didn’t start well.

“However if we play like we did after that we will have a great chance. It is about keeping the back door shut and hopefully I will be able to take my chances this time.”