Don Cowie says improving Ross County’s away form is a key objective in the new Premiership campaign.
The Staggies begin the new league season on Saturday with a trip to Motherwell.
It will be the Dingwall club’s sixth successive season in the top-flight – although they have been forced to navigate the play-offs to secure safety in each of the last two campaigns.
Last term County recorded just a solitary victory on the road – a 1-0 triumph against Kilmarnock last September.
The Staggies claimed a further six draws from a total of 19 away matches, which meant just nine out of their final tally of 35 points came on their travels.
Although County registered an impressive haul of points at Victoria Park following Cowie’s initial interim appointment in February, the Staggies boss feels their form on the road could be the difference in helping them to avoid another tense season climax.
Cowie said: “What we need to do is start improving away from home, and start picking up points.
“It doesn’t have to be win after win, it can be a point here and there, because that soon adds up over a season.
“You just never know, that could take you from 11th, to maybe eighth or ninth.
“Every game is vitally important, and it’s just trying to strive for that consistency.
“Finishing 10th and above means you are safe.
“It’s not going to be easy, because history tells you that in the last two years we have found ourselves in the play-off.
“I believe we are not far away.
“Consistency is a big part of it, and I think we showed that in the last three months, especially at home.”
Staggies open against much-changed Steelmen
County go into the league opener at Fir Park fresh from an unblemished Premier Sports Cup group campaign.
The Staggies claimed maximum points to reach the last-16 of the competition, where they will face League Two side Spartans later this month.
Led by former Staggies boss Stuart Kettlewell, Motherwell have undergone a similar summer of transition to the Highlanders, with 12 new faces arriving in Lanarkshire.
Well proved to be difficult opponents for the Staggies last term, netting 10 goals in the last two meetings between the sides.
Cowie expects both new-look sides to be eager to stamp an early mark on the campaign.
He added: “They are not too dissimilar to ourselves, in that they have lost a couple of key players.
“Theo Bair was a massive part of their team last year, as well as Blair Spittal.
“You could say the same for Simon Murray and Yan Dhanda from us.
“They have to fill that void, but they have recruited in numbers and recruited well.
“I think they have had a few injuries over the League Cup, so they have maybe not had that opportunity to show what they have signed.
“It will be a really difficult game. They have still got the nucleus of that squad from last year, and we know how difficult it is away to Motherwell.
“As always, we have real belief in ourselves and will go down there feeling confident.”
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