The Lanarkshire outfit now have 13 games to save their season, starting with Sunday’s showdown with rampant league leaders Rangers.

But Rice has warned Scottish football’s great survivors they cannot afford to leave it too late to dig themselves out of trouble.

“Our record over the years doesn’t give me a wee bit of hope – it gives me massive hope,” he said.

“People always say that going into the last five or six games, Hamilton will pull it out the bag – but we don’t want to leave it that late.

“We want it to start on Sunday. Let’s start picking up points now.

“Those survival instincts are the DNA of the club. Fight and scrap for everything and make sure you have no regrets.”

Rice’s Covid-hit squad were given a painful lesson is finishing the last time they faced Steven Gerrard’s champions-elect as they were thumped 8-0.

But Rice reckons that December clash would have been called off had it taken place under the new tighter guidelines put in place since the emergence of the new mutant coronavirus strain.

“It was a massive blow for everybody – but there was circumstances behind that,” he said. “Probably now the game would not be played.

“We went into that game with eight fit players and three lads coming off the treatment table who struggled to play.

“I’m taking nothing away from Rangers. They were exceptional on the day.

“But it’s in the past and we can’t dwell on it. We have to look forward to Sunday and the last 13 games, making sure we get enough points to stay in the Premiership.

“It’s a mammoth task to face Rangers. The question everyone is asking themselves is ‘How do you stop them?’

“When you’re in the form Rangers are in – both domestically and in Europe – it’s very difficult.

“You can sit back against Rangers and they will score early on and your gameplan is out the window. If you go attack them, they can also score against you.

“So it comes down to our mindset on the day. Do we believe we can get a result? Do we believe we can force a few mistakes? Do we believe we can stop them scoring?

“It’s my job to make sure the lads do believe that and that’s certainly what I’ll be trying to do.

“It’s not a case of just going out to defend against Rangers. With the situation we’re in we’ve got try to find a way to win football matches and that starts this Sunday.

“I don’t think there will be any jitters or title nerves in their ranks, not when you’re as far clear as Rangers are.

“They will be enjoying themselves. The games won’t come quick enough for them.

“Realistically, Rangers need to be below par and we’ve got to be at the very top of our game. That has never changed through the years when you play the Old Firm.

“But I’ll tell the players we have to look forward to it. We can’t have any fear. We must embrace the challenge. Let’s have a go.”