Tommy Wright wants St Johnstone to continue their climb up the Ladbrokes Premiership when they take on Ross County on Saturday.
Saints dropped to the bottom of the table last September and came off it at the end of October with a 1-0 win over Hearts.
Form has improved since and the McDiarmid Park outfit travel to Dingwall having won three games in a row in all competitions for the first time this season.
St Johnstone are eighth in the table, two points behind Kilmarnock and three adrift of Hibernian having played a game less than the two clubs, and Wright told Saints TV that his side are “heading in right direction”.
He said: “We are aware we have to look behind us but we are trying to focus on the teams above us. That’s what we are trying to do on this run.
“Going back 15/16 games ago we were bottom of the table.
“The whole idea was to get away from that and try to close the gap with the teams above us and the next focus is to try to close the gap on Kilmarnock, Hibs and Livingston, they are within our reach if we continue the form and have the performances and pick up the points we have picked up recently.
“Saturday’s game gives us the opportunity to close the gap on those in front, that’s how we will approach it.
“Every win is vital at this stage of the season, to get away from the bottom and close the gap on teams above us.
“So we have a huge incentive. We realise that three or four wins and it’s really difficult for teams below us to catch us because they almost have to win six or seven games.
“We have put ourselves in a reasonably good position.”
