Don Cowie says last season’s survival run-in underlines how significant it would be to secure his first back-to-back victories as Ross County interim manager.
The Staggies begin their post-split fixtures away to bottom side Livingston, knowing a victory would automatically relegate the West Lothian side.
County occupy 11th place and are determined to avoid a second successive relegation play-off, with a point separating them from St Johnstone.
Last season, County found themselves four points adrift at the foot of the table going into the split, before starting off with wins over Livi and Dundee United which went a long way to ensuring they avoided automatic demotion.
The Staggies’ only previous back-to-back wins this term came in the early days of Derek Adams’ short tenure, when they defeated St Mirren and Motherwell.
Having recorded a stunning 3-2 win over Rangers last time out, Cowie knows how crucial it is to follow up with another triumph.
Back-to-back wins can cause ‘carnage’ in bottom-six run-in
He said: “It’s a chance to win games back-to-back. It’s not something we have done enough historically at this club, and it’s something we’ve got to try and rectify.
“Picking up back-to-back wins is huge in any league. It can give us real momentum going into the final four games if we can get the three points.
“Last year we proved how important it was when we got back-to-back victories. We beat Livingston and Dundee United, and we just saw what it could do to the bottom of the table.
“Everyone is playing each other, and if you can gain those points it can cause real carnage within that situation. That’s what we want to do.
“We feel good about ourselves as a group in terms of where we are confidence-wise.
“It’s now about taking that into the game, and building on to the next one.”
Cowie says reducing the gap to just a solitary point behind Saints by defeating the Gers has given his side’s survival hopes a major boost – but he knows they must build on it.
He added: “That’s key – and that’s why I said it was important we were in that position.
“Had we been four points behind going into the last five games, I would still have huge belief within this group that we could get out of the position we are in.
“We got the three points against Rangers – nobody can take that away from us – but we have to now build on it and take it into Livingston.”
Cowie still searching for first away victory
Cowie has taken charge of 10 matches since being installed as Adams’ temporary successor, with his entire haul of 11 points having been amassed at Victoria Park – where he remains unbeaten.
The Staggies last claimed a point on the road on their last visit to Almondvale, when the sides shared a 2-2 draw in January.
The Dingwall men have only triumphed once in 17 away matches this term – which came at Kilmarnock in September.
Although County have been handed three home fixtures after the split, Cowie is eager to rectify his side’s away form.
Cowie added: “That’s the way the schedule was due to be, the natural outcome.
“Our home form has been really good, so that has to be a positive.
“But we’re not at home this week. The focus is on winning away from home.
“Winning the first game would be a positive on the back of beating Rangers.
“We don’t look beyond this weekend.”
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