DANNY Collins hopes Nottingham Forest can fly out of the blocks against Leicester City, now they have finally discovered the knack of scoring early goals.
Greg Halford became the first Reds player to net in the opening 15 minutes of a Championship match this season, when he headed home the decisive goal in the eighth minute at the New Den on Saturday against Millwall.
Now they head into a must-win game against the Foxes, looking to secure the three points they need if they are to have a chance of climbing back into the top six.
And skipper Collins hopes they can get off to a flying start again, to calm the nerves amid what will be a pressure cooker atmosphere at the City Ground on Saturday.
"It would be good to get off to a flying start again. Last Saturday was the first time we have taken the lead in eight games," said Collins.
"If we can get an early goal it would settle the nerves a little bit. That would be a good start. But we also want to keep a third clean sheet on the bounce. That would make all the difference as well.
"If we can get off to a good start again, the crowd will get with us and we can hopefully get a good result. That is part of football. We want to get the result and hope things will have gone for us at the end of it."
Forest need either Palace or Bolton to slip up, if they are to sneak into the play-off places.
Palace travel to Millwall tonight before facing Peterborough at home on the final day and need to win only one of the games for them to move beyond Forest's reach.
The Trotters, meanwhile, need only to beat Blackpool on Saturday to be sure of securing their place in the end of season showdown for a place in the Premier League – barring a freak turnaround in goal difference, while Leicester themselves have an outside chance of climbing up into sixth place.
And Collins warns that Nigel Pearson's side will also have pride at stake at the City Ground.
"Looking at things from their point of view, they will want to keep us out of the play-offs, because of that local rivalry," he said. "They have to play for pride and, knowing their manager, he will want them to be fired up and right at it.
"I am sure we would be the same if things were the other way around, so we have to expect that.
"But our gaffer will be right up for it as well and I am sure he will have us prepared; have us ready to do what is required.
"I am sure we will have an idea of where things stand on Saturday. You get a vibe from the crowd, I am sure the fans will have their radios on, they will give away what is happening at other places.
"But it counts for nothing if we cannot get the job done. We need to get three points and then see what happens. We have to fulfil our part of the bargain.
"Our confidence would be flying high if we were to get into the play-offs now, if we were to sneak in, we would be buzzing.
"But we have to focus on beating Leicester."
