Manager Gary Johnson wants his Cheltenham side to make a positive start and get a goal up in Saturday’s clash with Port Vale - after twice having to battle back from early body blows in recent games.
The Robins have conceded goals in the opening five minutes of the last two Sky Bet League Two fixtures with Barnet and Grimsby.
Johnson has been pleased with the character his side has shown to comeback and secure a point.
But he feels his team will play with ‘confidence and command’ if they can get their noses in front in the big game this weekend at the LCI Rail Stadium.
“We have got to stop conceding early on, of course,” he said. “If it is the first 10 or 15 minutes, and they have laid siege to your goal, you could say there is a massive problem.
“But the team come out the dressing room raring to go, they want to fight.
“We planned to go longer early on against Grimsby, to make sure they didn’t get among us, and then we concede a free kick, when we don’t need to in our enthusiasm to get to the ball.
“You can do something about it, you can mark the fella who scores and not concede the free kick in the first place. You talk about it all week.
“You then spend the next 87 minutes chasing the game. But I felt we did okay and we certainly dictated the play on occasions.
“When we go a goal up, as with any team, we have that freshness and enthusiasm,” he added.
“Generally we are comfortable at 1-0 and it would be great for a change.
“We went 1-0 up Mansfield before the shenanigans of the sending offs, and not even the first one because we did well with ten men.
“If we can get that first goal your team then plays with confidence an command so that is what we must aim to do.”