Raith Rovers looked to have got their season moving in an upward direction again after beating Morton and drawing with Dundee recently but they slipped back into losing ways when they went down 4-2 to Livingston on Saturday.
The defeat dropped Grant Murray’s side back into eighth place and the Kirkcaldy men have yet to fully determine what play-offs they want to be involved in at the end of the season.
If they win this game, a charge for the top four could still be on but if they lose and Cowdenbeath beat Morton, only four points will separate the two Fife sides in the battle to avoid relegation issues.
Murray’s men travel to a Hamilton ground where they drew 1-1 back in October and the Stark’s Park boss is looking for his side to hit the high level of performance they showed that day and against Paul Hartley’s Dundee last week.
The Raith boss said: “We have to pick ourselves up. However, we can take belief from how well we did at Dundee last week and how well we did at Hamilton earlier in the season. If we have belief and concentration then we can bring something home with us.
“It was disappointing to lose to Livingston in the manner we did after a good win last weekend and a very good display at Dundee in midweek.
“We were solid at Dens Park but we switched off at key times at the weekend and gave goals away. We created chances, which is a good sign, but we need to stop losing cheap goals.
“Hamilton are on a good run and have won a few games. We know what happens when you let them get up a head of steam as they ran away from us in our last game.
“We cannot afford anything less than full concentration.”
Raith are without goalkeeper David McGurn and defender Paul Watson, with Kevin Moon a major injury doubt.
Hamilton player/manager Alex Neil said: “We had a great first half at Raith recently when we scored four times but they showed at Dundee last week how strong they can be.
“We have a good record against them and we have confidence. As much as I like us scoring goals, I would like us to be a bit tighter at the back.”
Neil is the only absentee from the New Douglas Park ranks as he is still not back to full fitness after groin surgery.