Easton makes surprise Accies return

The defender, 21, was signed by former Clarets boss Owen Coyle last summer but has made just one appearance this season in the Carling Cup. The arrival of Danny Fox from Celtic means manager Brian Laws has sanctioned a move back to New Douglas Park on loan for the remainder of the campaign. "He is a player who has got a good future ahead of him and I think it's important he gets as many games as he can," said Burnley boss Laws. "We have loaned him back to Hamilton and hopefully he will get a lot of games and we will monitor him. "With Danny Fox coming in it's better to send Brian out on loan so that he gets that experience. "He's delighted to do that because he wants to play. It's great for his education and development." Meanwhile, Hamilton boss Billy Reid believes now is the ideal time to face Saturday's opponents Celtic, with the Hoops reeling at falling 10 points adrift of Rangers in the title race following defeat to Hibernian midweek. Reid said: "I'm not saying we go into the game as favourites because the bookies will have us as massive underdogs. "But I think this is the time to play Celtic. "It's a transitional period with Tony Mowbray and the club bringing a lot of new players in and there is a wee bit of instability at the club at the moment. Anybody can see that. "It's as good a time as any to play them. We are the home side and we ran Rangers close recently so if we play to our potential, there is no reason why we can't take the points." Mowbray has admitted in recent weeks he is not enjoying life at Parkhead as he strives to implement his own footballing philosophy at the Glasgow giants. But Reid insisted: "I can't have sympathy for Tony Mowbray or any other manager because you've got to look after your own team. "I maybe don't understand not enjoying the job but I understand, when you are at a club like that, there are demands for success straight away. "In the games where I've watched Celtic, they have created bundles of chances and not taken them - including the derby game against Rangers. "So he must be a bit frustrated with that. "You don't get time with the Old Firm, you've got to hit the ground running and the fans demand straight away that you're up and running and you've got to finish above your rivals. "Sometimes it's a wee bit cut-throat." Reid believes his players can take plenty of heart from recent games against the other half of the Old Firm. Accies held Rangers to a 3-3 draw in the Active Nation Scottish Cup, before suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat in the SPL. They then took the cup replay to extra-time at Ibrox before eventually bowing out of the competition. Reid said: "In the 3-3 game I thought we shaded the game and I didn't think we deserved to lose the 1-0 game, I think everybody would admit that. "The game at Ibrox was always going to be slightly different when they get you back to their own place, with their own supporters and the big crowd. "We've got to take confidence from those games. I'm not going to say we are getting closer to the Old Firm, that would be the wrong words to use. "But there is no fear factor there, and there shouldn't be, although there is respect."