Dougie Imrie says that his new-found status as Hamilton’s goal machine has even come as a shock to him.

His manager Martin Canning has long praised the work-rate of the wide-man, but had been urging him to add a goal threat to his industry on the right flank.

After bagging the winner against Motherwell last week and a stunning equaliser against Kilmarnock on Saturday, it seems as if he has been heeding his manager’s advice.

“It’s unheard of!” he joked.

“It’s good to be able to help out and get a couple of goals for the team. I’ve obviously lacked that in the last few seasons but it’s good to start popping up with some goals.

“I’ve scored a few better than that. That’s up there to be fair, but Jamie MacDonald will tell you that I scored a better one into him against Hearts at Tynecastle, a 30-yarder free-kick into the top corner.

“I’m just delighted with the team performance again though, it’s a terrific result, a great three points and slowly but surely we’re climbing up the table.

“It’s great for a club of our size to be up in fourth. We’ve kicked on again from what we achieved last season and it’s just about maintaining that this season.

“It was good to score but the most important thing is the team performance.

“We didn’t really play well in the first half, and the gaffer told us so at half-time, but in the second half we were excellent.

“It’s always been said that it’s part of a game that I don’t get enough of, but that’s two in two now and hopefully I can get a few more now.”

Hamilton’s comeback win against Kilmarnock was the perfect warm-up for the visit of Celtic to New Douglas Park next Sunday.

Imrie hopes that he can stay on the goal trail to help Accies shock Ronny Deila’s side again as they did at Celtic Park last October.

“It’s going to be an extremely tough game, it always is,” he said.

“They’re vastly experienced with quality players throughout their team, but it’s one we’re looking forward to.

“We’ll need to everyone to a man playing at the top of their game to even think about getting a result against Celtic.

“They’ve got great quality players, and it will be difficult, but it’s a game we’re looking forward to.

“Hopefully Celtic will have 4 or 5 players that are having an off-day and Hamilton have 11 players at the top of their game.”

Imrie believes that Celtic’s European game against Fenerbahce on Thursday won’t provide his side with any advantage.

“They’ve got that many players that they can bring in, I think that’s just used as an excuse,” he said.

“They’ve got vast resources and excellent players, it’s not as if they’re bringing in duds, they’re all quality international players, so whatever 11 they pick they’re going to be very strong.

“In that game last season everyone in a Hamilton jersey played at the top of their game and Celtic had 2 or 3 players who weren’t quite at it, and we got what you need when you play these teams, that little bit of luck.

“They had chances to score and didn’t take them, and when we got ours we capitalised on it.”