ALEX NEIL insists he has not been surprised by high-flying Hamilton after the top-flight newcomers continued their remarkable start to the campaign.

Accies are unbeaten in nine Premiership outings and a point clear of second-placed Dundee United thanks to Friday night's 3-0 triumph over Aberdeen at New Douglas Park.

Neil's side have taken the league by storm this term, with victory over the Dons coming on the back of history-making wins against Celtic and Lanarkshire rivals Motherwell.

Hamilton have all but guaranteed themselves another campaign in the top flight just 10 games into their Premiership return as they moved 19 points clear of bottom-of-the-table Ross County.

A trip to last season's title rivals Dundee this weekend is next on the Accies agenda, and boss Neil is delighted to see his in-form stars loving life in the top tier.

He said: "I don't think they have surprised me, no. I didn't really know how we would fare in the Premiership, but once I looked at the other teams and I knew what I had, I had confidence that we could do well.

"Those three results, if we were to play them again, we probably wouldn't get the same results.

"The teams that you are playing are really difficult, but we are in a rich vein of form at the moment, we are scoring a lot of goals and we are not conceding, which is great.

"That won't happen every week, but we are enjoying it at the moment.

"The players are enjoying their football, they are working really hard and I have got quality players in the group. That has shown since the season started."

Boss Neil has worked wonders at New Douglas Park since replacing Billy Reid in the Hamilton hotseat, guiding them to promotion last term and into pole position in the Premiership.

Only Inverness Caley Thistle have taken three points from Neil's side this term, with defeat on the opening day the spark for a remarkable run of league form.

The latest crop of Accies kids have thrived on the big stage, and the New Douglas Park boss is pleased to see their effort paying off in stunning style.

Neil said: "If you look at the team that started, only Michael McGovern, Danny Redmond and Dougie Imrie are the free agents that we brought in that we thought would add to the squad and they have certainly done that.

"The bulk of the squad is the same squad from last year and I have got a real close bond with these lads now given how well we have done in the last year.

"When you go and play in the play-offs and you are successful, it just grows and grows and it is getting better and better for us at the moment."

FRIDAY'S Dons clash was Hamilton's sternest test on home soil since that defeat to Caley Thistle at the start of the campaign, but Accies once again passed the examination with flying colours.

Midfielder Tony Andreu grabbed a brace to clinch the points against Derek McInnes' side before Mickael Antoine-Curier added a shine to the scoreline in the closing stages.

Andreu has arguably been Accies' most impressive performer so far this term and Neil has hailed his classy French star.

He said: "Tony has been our top player since he came to the club. He scored 15 goals last season and he has now got six this season so far.

"Tony is a fantastic player for us, but I have got really good players right across the board and they have all chipped in at different points this season. It was really pleasing for Tony to get his two goals."