ADELAIDE United enters its match against in-form Gold Coast on Sunday at Skilled Park just one undefeated result away from equalling the record of 12 consecutive A-League games without a loss.
But while reaching the record that was set by the Central Coast Mariners back in season one is enticing, the Reds' focus will be more on continuing on from their fine start to the season after last weekend's FIFA Match Day Break.
The Reds managed to snatch all three points in their last outing against Sydney FC a fortnight ago despite being second best for periods of the game.
United coach Rini Coolen's attention heading into the Gold Coast match is on ensuring his team shows improvement from that performance.
"Until now we haven't lost a game and you want to keep that as long as possible of course...the last game was a big step for our team, not playing well but still winning the game," Coolen said.
"But I'm hoping for a better football team on the pitch than our last game and hopefully it's together with three points.
"You want to go for a result. Sometimes a draw is a good result, especially when it is an away game, but we always go out to see if we can get three points. The job is to win the game."
The league leader's next three weeks shape as a significant challenge with the Reds to come up against the three sides they have yet to face so far this season - Gold Coast United, Wellington Phoenix and Melbourne Victory.
First up is a trip to Skilled Park to try and halt a Gold Coast team that is unbeaten in five games and has made its way into the top four.
"I think every game is tough," Coolen said.
"It's a really tough league and every week there is a new challenge so this will be a tough game, but I feel that every game until now was a tough game, as well as this one."
One of the reasons for the Gold Coast's recent resurgence has been the arrival and form of former Reds striker Bruce Djite, who signed for the Gold Coast as a replacement for the departing Shane Smeltz.
Djite has found the back of the net three times in the last two games, and while the Reds defence will need to keep a close check on him, the Gold Coast have other talented players including one that Coolen knows well in captain Jason Culina.
The Reds boss worked with Culina during his time at Dutch club FC Twente, and while he is looking forward to reacquainting with the Socceroos midfielder, Coolen knows it will not just be about trying to stem his influence.
"I'm really looking forward to meeting him (Culina) again," Coolen said.
"He's playing on the other side and that's a little bit different than it was before, but we have to play against Gold Coast United and not Jason Culina."
United will be without two of its key playmakers for the clash with Marcos Flores nursing his injured hamstring and Mathew Leckie away with the Young Socceroos.
Coolen says there a number of options he use in filling the void left by the duo, but he is keeping his cards close to his chest.
"We knew already a couple of weeks ago that Leckie wouldn't be there. I'm real happy for him and the national team that they will play in the Final, that's fantastic for them and Australia as well," Coolen said.
"We knew that Flores would be out for this game, so we have to find solutions and we have a few options, but I'll keep that to myself and tell the players tomorrow during our team meeting."
Having gathered some serious momentum in the early part of the season, it could be argued that the FIFA Match Day Break came at a bad time for the Reds, but Coolen does not see it this way and says the squad is determined to keep the run going.
"Normally if you're doing well then you prefer to play every week...but for us even though we've been doing well it was better for us to have a break because we have a few injured players, so it was welcome and we enjoyed a free weekend," Coolen said.
"After that we've done a lot of training sessions and we are ready now for the next game."
The Reds have made the trip to Skilled Park just once previously, that game ending in a 1-1 draw towards the end of last season, when Adelaide was occupying the bottom of the table.
But this time around it is a different story, the Reds on top and the team to catch after securing 21 points from a possible 27 in the season's first nine weeks.
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