Hamilton Accies defender Matty Shiels reckons their performances against the top two in the Championship over the last week shows they are capable of competing at the right end of the table this season.
The New Douglas Park side hauled themselves off the bottom of the Championship on Tuesday night with a 1-0 win at second place Inverness, which came off the back of a strong showing in a 2-1 defeat to leaders Partick Thistle last Saturday.
This weekend Accies face a bottom of the table battle when they travel to 10th place Arbroath but Shiels says recent showings are a sign of what Accies are truly capable of this season, if they can get some consistency.
The 22-year-old left-back, whose side are 10 points adrift of the summit, said: "We played really well against Partick but just couldn't get the result but we knew if we went up to Inverness and showed the same attitude, we could come away with the points and that's what happened.
"Partick are up at the top of the table and I thought we were the better team that day, so it showed us that if we can show that kind of performance we can be up there ourselves if we are consistent every week and keep playing that way.
"And, it's been coming that result, since after the Morton game [a 5-0 defeat].
"It's only three points so we need to keep going. We've got to pick up more points to get to where we feel we should be in the table."
It's another big week for Accies with the Arbroath match followed by the visit of Cove Rangers, who are just a point above Accies in eighth, next weekend.
Shiels added: "This is a chance for us to get six points out of the next week and hopefully we can start climbing the table.
"Everyone knows going to Arbroath is a hard game. They were right up at the top end of the table last season and they are still a good team.
"If we go the way we've played the way we have in the last two games, we believe we can come away with the three points."
Shiels has made 15 appearance for Accies this term and is enjoying a regular run in the side under John Rankin.
Life at Accies started with injury frustration and it led to a stop-start campaign last term, so the former Rangers defender is delighted to get games under his belt and continue to make strides at first team level.
He said: "Last season was disappointing for me because I didn't play much so it has been brilliant to be playing every week.
"Every game I'm learning. Everyone wants to play games and that's what I'm getting here, taking more experience from every game we play.
"Hopefully the results can start coming with that."
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