Boss Tommy Wright has urged St Johnstone to come flying out of the traps against Dundee at McDiarmid Park on Saturday.
Saints are in fifth place in the Ladbrokes Premiership but the Northern Irishman has been concerned with the slow starts to games at home this season.
The Perth side also gave Rangers a two-goal start at Ibrox in their last outing before levelling the score late on, only to lose 3-2.
Wright is looking for his side to get off the mark quickly against their seventh-placed Tayside rivals and register what would be their first home win in four.
He said: "We will approach it in a positive manner.
"We are in a good position. We had a really good performance at Rangers and looking back at it we have been unfortunate again.
"We have had one or two decisions go against us in recent weeks but the performance was much better.
"But we do know that we have to take that performance into the game and start the game well.
"At home at times this season we have not started the game well enough and allowed the opposition a foothold in the game.
"So we have to make sure we start the game really positively and take the game to Dundee."
Wright is aware of the significance of victory over the Dens Park side in terms of cementing a top-six spot before the split.
He said: "I f we get three points Dundee would be 10 points behind us with five games left which is a difficult ask and teams are all playing each other.
"That's why we are in a good position and we are still only one point off Hearts.
"But we have to get back to winning ways which will all but guarantee top six."
Source: PA
