Scott Ross hopes Cove Rangers can continue to shut opponents out during the League One run-in.
The Aberdeen side face Montrose at Links Park this evening having conceded just two goals in their last eight league fixtures.
Cove have the best defensive record in Scotland’s third tier having conceded 11 goals in 17 outings so far this term.
With five matches remaining defender Ross is hoping they can maintain that form because keeping clean sheets increases their chances of winning games.
When asked about Cove’s defensive solidity, he said: “We’ve got a good back four and goalkeeper that have played together a lot.
“We’re missing Harry (Milne) for the rest of season unfortunately (due to an ankle injury), but young Kieran (Ngwenya) and Adam (Livingstone) have come in and done well and there’s a good understanding there.
“We’ve got (Connor) Scully and (Fraser) Fyvie in front and we’ve got that protection in front so defensively it’s working really well.
“Hopefully we can keep it going because the aim is always to keep clean sheets and give yourself a chance to win the game.”
Focus on Montrose rather than what could happen
Cove are firmly in the promotion mix as the season enters it’s final few weeks.
Paul Hartley’s side beat League One leaders Falkirk on Saturday to move level on points with the Bairns, who are now only top of the table on goal difference.
Ross is pleased Cove are competing at the top end of the table.
But he is focused on getting the better of a Montrose side, who have won only once in their last eight league games and dropped to sixth in the table, rather than thinking about what Cove could achieve this season.
The 30-year-old added: “We’re up there and that’s where we want to be.
“We’re up there and we’ve given ourselves a chance, but every game is tough in this league so we’ve got to focus on Montrose now.
“It’s all about the next game and if we lose this game Saturday won’t matter.
“We’re not really thinking ahead or anything like that.
“We’re just taking it one game at a time as we’ve done all season.
“Saturday was an important game and now this is an important game, that’s what we’re thinking about.”
Falkirk success
Cove turned in an impressive display to defeat Falkirk 2-0 at the weekend.
Captain Mitch Megginson netted both goals at the Balmoral Stadium to take his tally for the season to 11.
Ross was pleased with the performance and felt a key moment in the game was Conor Sammon hitting the crossbar for the Bairns with a close range header just a couple of minutes before Megginson grabbed Cove’s second.
He said: “It’s a very good result. It was a game we were looking forward to because we know we’re a good team.
“And we managed to get the three points which was very pleasing.
“I think that was a big turning point (Sammon’s miss shortly before the second goal) because Falkirk missed when it could have been 1-1 and then Mitch scored.
“So it was turning point, but I thought we did really well across the 90 minutes.
“We played when we had to and when we had to defend we defended very well.”