Malky Mackay says moving off the foot of the Premiership would underline Ross County’s intentions to quickly climb the table.
A victory at St Johnstone on Saturday would move the Staggies into 10th place, with second-bottom Livingston in action against Hearts 24 hours later.
The bottom-placed Staggies were previously hanging on to the coat-tails of Dundee, however back-to-back wins have moved James McPake’s men to within just two points of the top half.
Mackay feels his side can surge up the table if they maintain their recent momentum.
He said: “We have got to keep chipping away at these points. We have got seven games to go before the winter break.
“If we get into this pack, that makes a big difference for us.
“I don’t think there’s a lot between five or six teams in this league.
“We played Dundee and I spoke to James McPake after the game. I told him to just keep digging in, because I have seen them this season. It has since been shown that they have beaten teams as well.
“We just need to keep playing the way we are playing. Over a period of weeks we have been in reasonable form.
“We just need to make sure we take our chances when we get them, and keep them out at the other end.”
Mackay senses increasing ‘telepathy’ within Staggies side
The Staggies have kept three clean sheets from their last five matches, with their only defeat during that sequence coming against champions Rangers at Ibrox.
Mackay, who brought in 12 new faces in the summer, believes a strong understanding is developing among his squad.
He added: “People are getting to know each other, and the players are getting to know what I expect of them.
“You don’t defend as a four, you defend as an 11. It’s about knowing roles and responsibilities, and making sure people who were never used to run backwards as quickly as they ran forwards, know that there are roles to play in defending as a team.
“Defenders also know each other better and know I want them to act with each other.
“A little bit of stability in the team helps. There have been various players who have had regular spots now, and there’s some telepathic stuff there where they start to know how each other play.
“That’s important. We will keep working at that.”
County face an out of sorts Saints side at McDiarmid Park, with Callum Davidson’s side struggling at the wrong end of the table following last season’s double cup-winning triumph.
Mackay is under no illusions as to the task his side faces however.
He added: “We are playing against a club who have been on the crest of a wave with those cups last year. They clearly have a good manager.
“Going to McDiarmid Park is not going to be easy. I know they had the defeat against Dundee in midweek, but we know we’ll be in for a tough game again.
“Like the St Mirren game, we know it will be a toe-to-toe battle.”
