MARTIN CANNING is hoping a friendly against Sunderland last week can inspire Hamilton Accies to wreak revenge on their Lanarkshire rivals this week.

The teams meet on Friday night at New Douglas Park with Accies looking to atone for the 4-0 defeat they suffered against Ian Baraclough's side in March.

And Canning believes that a friendly at the Stadium of Light has energised his squad ahead of the derby.

"A couple of weeks ago Sunderland got in touch because they were looking for a game and we said we would take it," he explained. "We went down and played them and it was a great experience for the boys to go down and play against that calibre of player at a big stadium.

"To be fair, the boys were excellent on the day and played really well and took a lift from it.

"It was a great trip, very worthwhile. We went down the night before and stayed over before the game and the boys were excellent and they played with a real confidence.

"I think everyone enjoyed the game which, at a time when things aren't going well, can give you a lift. Hopefully we can take a wee spark from it.

"They had their first team playing, so it was a great opportunity to go and test themselves against the best in the business. The reason we took the game is that we are such a young squad and we also took some of the 20s with us, too.

"A game like that lets them go and see what is out there and where they want to get to. For us that is paramount to the way the club runs and try to get as many players as we can to that level.

"It is good for them to see guys of that calibre and how far away they are - a few of them might have realised they are not as far away as they might think.

"There is no better game than a derby game to go and right a few wrongs, especially after the 4-0 match which is still fresh in the memory. I am sure the players won't need much motivation ahead of Friday."

Canning is suspended for Friday's game after his red card against St Johnstone a few weeks back. Ziggy Gordon is a doubt for the game with a knee injury, while Andy Ryan is also still sidelined.

Accies are in a relatively strange position as they head into the latter stages of the campaign since they are in little danger of being dragged into the relegation play-offs but, having missed out on the top six, they are somewhat aimless for the remaining games.

Canning is targeting that elusive victory - Accies have not won a league game since early January - and he has insisted that his team will not be taking their foot off the gas.

" I will be hammering home to the players to make sure that no-one out-fights us or out-works us," he said. "We have to be as competitive and committed as they will be.

"We owe it to ourselves and to our fans to go and win games. I won't be looking at that to think that we owe anything to other clubs, but more that we owe it to us as a group of players and staff and fans to go and win."