Since replacing Stuart Kettlewell, Hughes' team have continued shipping goals at a worrying rate, with 17 conceded in just nine games.

But they have at least found a way to hurt opponents in the final third, and goals from Jordan White and Billy McKay secured a precious victory away at Hamilton on Wednesday to nudge County four points ahead of Brian Rice's basement boys.

Now as they prepare for the visits of Dundee United, Hibernian and Celtic, Hughes is looking to the next challenge on his to-do list – solving his team's woeful home record.

He said: "Ross County has always been renowned as a tough place to come and that's what we have to make it once more. We have to make it a fortress.

"The only way we can do that is to win games and hopefully that will be the case on Saturday.

"When I came in, I spoke about the fact we couldn't score goals and we couldn't keep them out. That's a bad recipe.

"But we're now starting to score goals. I'm a great believer that if you're scoring goals, it might be a bit of organised chaos but at least you're having a go.

"Now I'd say that anyone who plays against us will know they're in a game.

"No matter how we do it, the remit is to stay in the Premiership so it will help if we start winning those home games.

"Am I surprised teams have found it so easy to come up here and get results? Yes. Our win over Aberdeen last month was only our second at home all season.

"We were banging the door down at Hamilton the other night and showed great character to get the win. We need to start doing that at home."

Hughes says it is vital his team capitalise on winning their relegation crunch when Micky Mellon's Dundee United head north this weekend.

"We are where we are for a reason," Hughes said. "It comes down to the dos and don'ts of football and we have to be better.

"That result against Hamilton has given us a bit of breathing space. But if we don't take advantage of that and kick on it's going to go right down to the wire.

"We're up against a Dundee United team who have been real unlucky at times this season. They've got some good players in their team and we'll have to be right on our toes to make sure we keep a clean sheet."