MARTIN CANNING hopes to sign two experienced players before Saturday’s derby at Motherwell.

And the Hamilton Academical manager really could do with some reinforcements if their opening day home defeat to Hearts, a 4-1 defeat which could have been worse, was anything to go by

It’s going to be another trying season for Accies who simply don’t have the money of others to make even modest additions to a squad crying out for help.

Canning said: “I've said after the last couple of games, there's nothing negative for me that I didn't foresee or know, and it's not something that I'm blind to; I'm working hard to try and address it.

"We need a bit of experience to help the kids - Alex Penny is 21, Shaun Want is 21, Ziggy Gordon is a right-back playing centre-back for us, so we know what we need to address

"We're working really hard to do it, and it's not just a case of bringing in anybody that's experienced - it's trying to bring in the right people that can help develop us, the right quality that we know can help assist the player we have, and if we can get that right then I believe it's a good squad.

"We're pretty close with two just now, and we have been close before, so I hate to say things are done, because until they're here and signed, it's not done.

Mickel Miller actually put the Accies ahead, but Hearts soon took control of the game and ran away with it in the second-half.

Canning admitted: “We all knew it was going to be a difficult game. Hearts are a good side and very experienced. They don't make many mistakes.”

Hamilton made too many of them. Their manager could do with a break of the ball