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Sport
Paul Thomson

Hamilton Accies skipper Brian Easton targets Scottish Cup run as he recalls pipping boss John Rankin to trophy in 2014

Brian Easton has a Scottish Cup winners medal with St Johnstone and now he admits he'd love to go on a cup run at Hamilton Accies with one of the men he pipped to the trophy in 2014.

The 34-year-old guided Saints to a 2-0 win over a Dundee United side that included his current gaffer John Rankin.

But now the pair enter the 2022/23 edition of the competition together with their sights set on taking Accies as far as they can.

Hamilton's first obstacle comes in the form of Lowland League East Kilbride on Saturday and Easton hopes he and his gaffer can bring some cheer to the Accies fans who currently see their side sitting bottom of the Scottish Championship with just one win in their last 11 games.

He said: "We want to get a wee cup run going because it is something that can give the place a lift. It's a brilliant competition to play in.

"The fans are dying for some kind of cup run. We've not given them that in a while so hopefully we can get that going.

"One of the things you think about when you get into the cup are the big games and we've got that on our minds, as I'm sure East Kilbride will as well.

"We want to be playing against the best teams again and you never know how far you can go in this competition.

"Thinking back to when I won it, nobody expected St Johnstone to win it that year.

Brian Easton at St Johnstone in 2014 (SNS Group)

"We just went game by game, went on a run and ended up in the final and winning it.

"It's in your head all the time that you never know what can happen."

"The way things have been going it could be a helpful thing to focus on something different and hopefully after this weekend we can really get down to business in the league, try and get a run going.

"We are not where we want to be but in this league you are just a couple of wins from being back in amongst it.

"A win in the cup could help us with that."

Asked if he has reminded his gaffer about 2014, he laughed: "I'd never rub that in his face.

"I remember the game well and it was a great game where both teams fought really well.

John Rankin (left) at Dundee United in 2015 up against Celtic's Scott Brown (Jeff Holmes/PA Wire)

"There could be only one winner and I'm glad it was me that day.

"Since then I've been on the losing sides in cup ties every year, obviously not winning it again, so it shows you how difficult it can be and how easy games can go the other way.

"So we need to make sure we do things right on Saturday."

Responding to that, Rankin himself said: "The Scottish Cup is special and it is one of those competitions you look forward to at the start of the season.

"Easty and St Johnstone deserved to win the game that day.

"It's not a moment he has reminded me about yet but I'm sure the closer we get to Saturday it will come up at some point!"

Follow Lanarkshire Live Sport on Twitter via @LanLiveSport, like us on Facebook or find us on Instagram for the latest sports news, pictures and video.

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