Ross County midfielder Christopher Routis is confident the Staggies can catch Hamilton and Dundee to escape the Premiership relegation spot.
County have leapt above Partick Thistle and off the bottom of the table thanks to a run of five points from five games since Stuart Kettlewell and Steven Ferguson took over as interim co-managers from Owen Coyle last month.
Frenchman Routis has no intention of accepting an 11th-place finish, however, and he is eager to use the five remaining games, starting with Saturday’s home match against Motherwell, to put the pressure on the teams above them.
Routis said: “We have some momentum behind us now and are in a good way because of the results before the split.
“It was important mentally to keep in touch with the teams above us going into these last five games.
“With everyone playing each other, things are still close. It’s four points now, so the teams effectively have games in hand over us but we believe we can catch them.
“Dundee and Hamilton will both feel they are in a dangerous position. We are more than capable of catching both teams – although one would be enough.
“It is an important game this weekend, we have to stay in a good position and keep the good feeling we have going.
“If we can get closer to the two teams above us then it would be a big boost going into the games we have against them.”
Routis expects Motherwell to be buoyed by reaching next month’s Scottish Cup final, where Celtic lie in wait following the Lanarkshire side’s 3-0 triumph against Aberdeen in Saturday’s last-four tie at Hampden.
The 28-year-old says the Staggies must be up for a physical contest at Dingwall and he added: “I watched Motherwell on Saturday and they are a very strong team. They have been like that all season, playing them is very difficult.
“They have good players and are physical, so you have to match them.
“Motherwell will have confidence from getting to the cup final, they probably don’t have much to play for in the league now but they will want to be in the team for Hampden.
“There is so much to play for and hopefully we can keep the run of form we are on going.”