Imrie Praises Neil Preparation

Photo by Jeff Holmes Hamilton forward Dougie Imrie completed a unique Parkhead double over Celtic on Sunday and put part two down to player-manager Alex Neil's meticulous planning. Just over a year ago the 31-year-old's extra-time penalty gave Morton a shock 1-0 Scottish League Cup third-round win over the Hoops in the east end of Glasgow. Imrie returned to New Douglas Park for the second time in the summer and confirmed that lightning does strike twice at Celtic Park when he helped the newly-promoted Accies to a 1-0 Premiership win over Ronny Deila's men. Midfielder Ali Crawford's strike early in the second-half gave the visitors their first competitive win at Parkhead in 76 years which took them top of the table and kept them unbeaten since the opening day defeat by Inverness. Imrie put Accies' remarkable form down to Neil's preparations. He said: "That's two 1-0 victories in a row, obviously with Morton in the cup last season and now with Hamilton. "I have to say the victory on Sunday, beating the champions and putting us top of the league, shows how far the club has come. "The young boys were magnificent. The first game of the season against Inverness was disappointing when we got beat 2-0, we gave them too much respect, but since then we have been fantastic. "We all work hard for each other and everyone gets on with everyone. "The manager has his own philosophy in the way he wants to play. From Monday to Friday the work he does on the team and the opposition is second to none. "The detail that the gaffer and the backroom staff puts in to analysing teams we come up against is fantastic, the best I have ever seen, and I think that has given us an edge this season. "We analyse every team, no matter if it is Celtic, Inverness or Aberdeen. We plan our attacks to suit our style of play. "I wasn't there last season but obviously they have brought that from last season and every game has got better and better and long may that continue." Imrie is too experienced, however, to make too much of Accies' lofty league position. The former St Mirren and Inverness player is sticking to the Hamilton mantra this season which is survival first. He said: "Our main priority is to stay in the league. "We have 20 points from 27 so far and if we can keep that going we will stay in the league."