Richard Brittain conceded Ross County were fortunate to get all three points against Aberdeen in a 2-1 home win in the SPL on Saturday.
The County skipper put in another impressive display in midfield as County rode the storm when the Dons tried to peg back a two-goal deficit in the second half.
Victory - their third in 12 games - moved County up to eighth in the SPL while thwarting the Dons' bid to go second behind Hibernian.
Brittain said: "I thought we were excellent.
"We worked hard and were fortunate enough to win the game. We always knew we had quality. You don't go 40 games unbeaten without having quality in the squad. We knew the step up to the Premier League was going to be difficult but the boys are coping with it well."
The loss of late goals has cost County in recent weeks but despite constant Aberdeen pressure in the second half the home side held out.
He added: "We knew ourselves our concentration levels had to be better. We were under the cosh today for long spells in the game, especially in the second half but we managed to hold firm."
Brittain was also delighted for 19-year-old Steven Ross, who scored County's crucial second goal early in the second half.
He said: "Steven has been working hard, he's a good finisher - he does it in training every day. I thought he was outstanding today. He was up against two of the best centre halves in the league and he capped a fine performance with a goal.
"The older players, like myself, try our best to encourage him. I'm delighted for him to get his first goal for the club.
"When you work with players, week in week out, every day in training you know what they are capable of. I can't praise him highly enough. But it's just a start for him, we've got to keep him grounded because there is a long way to go in the game. He's only a young kid."
Brittain said the players do not pay too much attention about the club's league position at this stage of the season.
He said: "Winning games and putting points on the board is what breeds confidence. We've managed to do that and we've got to carry that run on to next week's game now."
Aberdeen's Russell Anderson thought his side got what they deserved.
He said: "You probably get what you deserve in football. I can't recall them having a chance in the game really but we gifted them two goals and we haven't done enough ourselves to come back from it.."
Aberdeen had been unbeaten in the league since the opening day of the season when they lost to Celtic.
Anderson was realistic that such a run would one day end but instead was disappointed by how it came about.
He said: "It was always going to come to an end at some point but for it to come to an end in that manner was disappointing. We had plenty of possession without doing anything with it.
"We would like to give them credit because they stuck to their task."
He added: "I don't think there is an easy place to come to in the Premier League. We were fully aware of what to expect. We took a massive away support with us again so it is disappointing we couldn't get a result for the supporters."
