Ross County manager John Hughes says the Staggies cannot afford to slacken when they host St Mirren in the Premiership today.
County went down 2-0 to Celtic at Parkhead in Hughes’ first game in charge on Wednesday, with the result keeping them four points adrift at the bottom of the table.
Hamilton Accies, Kilmarnock and St Johnstone are the sides within closest grasp of the Staggies, with St Mirren a further point ahead in eighth position.
The Buddies saw a nine-match unbeaten run ended by their 1-0 defeat to Hibernian on Wednesday, with a victory for the Staggies allowing them to within two points of Jim Goodwin’s men.
Hughes says his players must be prepared to show the same intensity as they did against the Hoops.
He said: “I’ve touched on it many times, any time I have taken a team to either half of the Old Firm, we put so much into it that even mentally the next game can be a little bit flat.
“It cannot be flat come Saturday. They have to be right out the traps, at it and ready.
“All that work has been done in trying to put in place the best opportunity for them.
“If they keep giving me what they did against Celtic, and we can get a bit of quality added to it, there’s enough there to win games – hopefully with that bit of lady luck as well.”
Despite Saints’ run which had stretched back to October coming to an end, Hughes feels the consistency shown by the Paisley outfit is a clear benchmark for his newly-inherited side which has lost its last five games.
Hughes added: “St Mirren have been absolutely fantastic. We’re looking at them and saying if we can do what they do we will be all right.
“They just grind it out, they play some nice football, so it’s going to be difficult.
“It’s a different challenge for us, but one we have to be ready for.
“We are where we are for a reason. We can’t keep the ball out the net and we can’t score a goal, and it was the same on Wednesday.
“We need that to change with a clean sheet and by nicking a goal, then we will be off and running.”
The Boxing Day encounter with Saints is the first of three games for the Staggies this week, with a trip to Hibernian on Wednesday followed by another home encounter with St Johnstone next Saturday.
Although Hughes says the training schedule will be curtailed by the busy schedule, he was heartened by the early indications from the Dingwall men.
Hughes, who has a doubt over leading scorer Ross Stewart who suffered a hamstring injury, added: “I’ve only been on the training pitch once, and I didn’t want to give them too much information and bamboozle them.
“I just want them to go and express themselves, but make sure they know what they are doing and keep the shape in and out of possession.
“It’s all right saying it, the hardest thing is to try and implement it, which takes weeks and months.
“It has to come from a solid base, and that was there on Wednesday. There was great organisation, a real willingness not to get beaten and put their bodies on the line.
“That has to be the same in the next game and we will build on that.”