Dougie Imrie optimistic Hamilton can enjoy fruitful campaign
Hamilton winger Dougie Imrie is confident his side have rediscovered the goal threat that can ensure another good campaign at New Douglas Park.
Accies lost two of the Ladbrokes Premiership's top goalscorers last season, Tony Andreu and Mickael Antoine-Curier, shortly after player-manager Alex Neil left in January, and they plunged out of the top six after scoring just four times in 12 games before the split, although they picked up afterwards.
After Accies failed to hit the net in their opening two matches, summer signings Carlton Morris and Christian Nade have each scored two goals in three games, and boss Martin Canning added another striker this week by bringing in Brazilian-born Alex D'Acol from AEK Athens.
Hamilton are now searching for a third consecutive league win when Hearts visit on Saturday.
Imrie, who netted three times last season, said: "We lost quite a bit of goals last season with Tony Andreu and Mickael leaving. It was difficult.
"But we have done well over the summer, the gaffer has managed to bring in some quality players to replace them.
"The first couple of games it was about getting our feet back on the ground and building again, and I think you can see over the past couple of weeks that the team is coming together again. Hopefully that's a platform we can build on.
"Don't get me wrong, we won't get slack and think 'we have won two games, that's us on the road again'. That's never going to be the case here.
"But he has strengthened again and brought in another couple of players. It's all got the makings of another good season but we have to show week-in, week-out that we work hard to get our points."
Midfielders Danny Redmond and Darren Lyon are close to fitness following lay-offs but both might have to wait until after the international break before making their return to first-team action.
Canning (calf) remains out alongside Chris Turner (knee) and Michael Devlin (ankle).
Hearts midfielders Prince Buaben and Jamie Walker have brushed off knocks.
Soufian El Hassnaoui (knee) remains on the sidelines while Miguel Pallardo (Achilles) and Blazej Augustyn (hernia) are set to return after the international break.
Hearts goalkeeper Neil Alexander has no fears about his younger team-mates getting carried away by their flying start to the season - thanks to the leadership of Robbie Neilson.
The Ladbrokes Premiership leaders are aiming for their eighth straight win this term when they travel to Hamilton on Saturday.
But Alexander believes their experience of leading the Championship for the whole of last season is standing them in good stead.
The 37-year-old said: "The manager has a meeting every day, and just the way he conducts himself and expresses himself, the boys know that you can't get carried away here.
"Even though they are younger they are experienced enough to know that it's early in the season and there's a long way to go.
"You learn from last year, you don't get carried away when you get beat, you don't get carried away when you win.
"That stood us in good stead last season and the boys have continued on. We have a fantastic winning mentality.
"The new boys have bought into what the manager is trying to put across and have settled in really well."
Source: PAR
