By Paul Thomson

Copyright dailyrecord

Hamilton Accies boss John Rankin reckons Rangers loanee Zander Hutton is a ready-made replacement for Reghan Tumilty at right-back. The League One side saw SPFL Trust Trophy-winning hero Tumilty depart in the summer for a move to Championship side St Johnstone. But with Accies bringing in 19-year-old Hutton last week, Rankin feels he has a talented youngster who can fill the void. Hutton has joined on a season-long loan and made his senior first team debut in Saturday’s 4-2 win over East Kilbride in the KDM Evolution Trophy, formerly the SPFL Trust Trophy. And Rankin said: “Zander is a young boy, he’s not made his professional debut before this week, but he is an athlete and he makes good runs. “From our teams in previous seasons, we’ve always had Reghan Tumilty bombing forward on that right-hand side. “Zander has got a lot to learn in the game, as Rangers know and that’s why they’ve given him to us and we are thankful for that, but with him bombing forward, and being that attacking threat down the right-hand side, I think he will improve with playing men’s football. “We will give him back to Rangers with that bit of experience he is needing.” Hutton caught Rankin’s eye in a pre-season clash against Rangers at Auchenhowie as the Gers prepared for their Champions League qualifiers in July. With Accies hit by a transfer embargo that restricts their signings to youth players and amateurs, teenagers are getting a chance to play men’s first team football with the likes of Aston Villa’s Ewan Simpson and Hearts’ Bobby McLuckie among those also arriving in recent week. Rankin added: “I have been aware of Zander for a number of years, coming through the youth system at Rangers. “We played them in a pre-season friendly in July, which we were fortunate enough to be offered by Rangers before their Champions League qualifying campaign. “I think it is always important to see what kids are coming through at their club that we can maybe steal. “Zander impressed me that day and it’s great to have him. “Rangers want him to get out and play games and I don’t think there is a better environment right now for kids to come and improve. “We have got a nucleus of a senior squad that needs youngsters to come in and make an impact, and I think Zander can certainly do that. “Everyone knows we’ve got a group of 12/13 players who are experienced and the rest is made up of kids. “It is what it is and the boys have taken a bit of a pounding over the last couple of weeks because of the embargo, and we’ve seen players coming and going because we haven’t been able to sign them. “But we addressed that by bringing in Bobby McLuckie and Zander. The new faces have certainly helped and freshened up the place. We need that youthful enthusiasm to come in and help us for the rest of the season.” Hutton could make his SPFL league debut on Saturday when Accies travel to Peterhead. Rankin said: “It’s another tough one, there’s no easy games in this league. “Peterhead had a good result on Saturday [a 4-2 win over Aberdeen B] and just won League Two last season. “We’ll give them the respect they deserve, but if we get the same energy from the players as we got at East Kilbride, I’ll be delighted.”