The Northern Irishman is conscious his men could embark on "a slide we might find difficult to arrest" and knows a poor run of results could be just around the corner if his team lower their standards. "Naturally I am very pleased we are in a better position than we could have imagined," he said. "The players have been fantastic and have put their heart and soul into the games. Sitting sixth, seventh, eighth, whatever is better than being fourth or fifth from bottom but I just think we are wary. We can get well and truly beaten in a few games and there might be a slide we might find difficult to arrest, so the more points we get now the better for us."