RICKI Lamie reckons this season has been unfamiliar territory for his side — and says they need to adapt to teams raising their game against the Greenock outfit.

Ton sit second in the Ladbrokes Championship and have been this season’s dark-horse in the race for a play-off place — and go into today’s Dumbarton clash looking to cement their second place in the table.

Having finished fifth in the table last season, this time round has seen a marked improvement in form and consistency.

Lamie believes it’s important for Morton to cope with the pressure better now they are considered a major scalp to be taken after last weekend’s 1-0 loss at home to Dunfermline and the midweek goalless draw with Hibs at Easter Road.

He told the Tele: “You get into that winning way sometimes in football when there’s an unfamiliar expectation on you, where everyone expects you to go and get a result because you have been doing so well. That then emphasises the disappointment afterwards if you don’t. 

“It’s not exactly a crisis-hit dressing room, it’s very much in high spirits and we’re well aware that we’re still the same team we have been for the whole season.

“Obviously it’s unfamiliar for some of us to go and have that expectation, for teams coming to Cappielow and thinking ‘this is a big game for us’ and raising their game.

“That hasn’t been the case for a wee while but it’s a brilliant thing to have because it shows how well we’re doing. 

“Yet it’s a negative in a way as opponents lift their game and think they need to be right at it to compete with us.

“We maybe need to be a wee bit more versatile in dealing with that. 

“You gain a bit of respect when you’re doing well and maybe we need to cope with that a bit better.”