Andy McCarthy wants to contribute more in the final third for Peterhead, on the back of their improved defensive performances.
Switching to a back three has allowed McCarthy and his fellow midfielders greater freedom and the former Partick Thistle man wants to make it count.
Scott Brown has been a regular scorer this season and heads the goalscoring charts with six, while Hamish Ritchie has a couple of goals and assists to his name.
McCarthy’s only goal to date came as Peterhead beat Clyde 3-2, but with manager Jim McInally able to switch to a back three – normally David Wilson, Jason Brown and Andy McDonald – it gives the midfielders greater freedom to get forward.
“I can get forward a bit more and play in the final third, knowing I’ve got that protection behind me now,” said McCarthy. “You can make more forward runs and it’s something I had to add to my game.
“Scott has always done it and Hamish added it to his game last season. I need to be doing it more and I’ve probably not done it enough since I have been at the club.
“We were good against Montrose and the back three is working well. The defensive side of things is a big plus; Brett Long has been really good and made some big saves, but the back three suits the guys back there.
“We look a lot more solid and sometimes you need your goalie to help out. But we feel a lot more secure on the pitch with the way it’s been.”
The 0-0 draw with Montrose made it four games unbeaten for Peterhead and they take that run to Airdrieonians – another side at the top of League One – this weekend.
After a poor start to the season, the Blue Toon appear to have turned a corner and have generated some momentum.
McCarthy added: “It’s quite funny as since I’ve been here, we hadn’t won our first game. Then we did against Alloa, but didn’t kick on and had some really tough games.
“Beating Dumbarton kick-started us and gave us that belief. We had lost four or five games by one goal, but the boys have turned a corner.
“There’s belief and there’s a lot of quality players in the team. We’ve got good enough players to go and influence the game.
“(Goals were) something we missed last season, but the goals have come from everywhere so far, which is good. We need to get that balance right between defence and attack, but we’re creating chances.”
