Hamilton right-back Michael Doyle has insisted it is too early to judge Accies after a tough first competitive match.
Their Premier Sports Cup Group H opener at fellow Championship side Dundee ended in a humbling 3-0 loss at Dens Park on Saturday.
Niall McGinn opened the scoring for Gary Bowyer's side and Alex Jaukbiak and Lyall Cameron goals either side of Brian Easton's red card compounded their misery.
It wasn't the start head coach John Rankin wanted in his first game in charge and Doyle - who has arrived at Hamilton this summer from Queen's Park acknowledges that.
Some fans showed their discontent at full-time in Tayside, but the 30-year-old said: "It is the first game of the season so it is hard to judge. I thought there was more in the game.
"They took their chances, we didn't. But you aren't going to throw your hat in after the first game. We want to be up there with Dundee.
"It's cup football and teams won't be judged on what happens in the cup. People don't really remember what happened in the group stages last year but you remember who got promoted.
"That's where our targets are. We want to do well in the cups but we are still building something here. If every game we can take a step closer and people keep building relationships, then I think we will be fine."
A chance to bounce back presents itself against Stranraer at New Douglas Park this evening in their second match.
Doyle added: "We need to get a reaction. There are obviously things that we have to work on. It's cup football and thankfully we have a game tonight to rectify it.
"I've come in and fitted in well to the changing room. That's what the club were looking for, coming in with a bit of experience. I have got the experience to know you can only pick yourselves up after a game like this.
"What are we to do, say that is us done? It's a bad result but it's a long season."
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