DEREK Gaston reckons Morton can emulate last year’s play-off achievements if they can maintain their early season form throughout the campaign.

Ton currently sit fifth in the Championship table with 14 points from a possible 27 having played every team in the league once already.

And the keeper believes they can be pleased with their points tally so far. 

But the 30-year-old has challenged his team-mates to continue their decent start in order to make the play-offs for a second consecutive season.

He told the Tele: “The league table at the moment is probably a fair reflection of how we’ve done so far. We’ve played quite well and there have certainly not been many games where we’ve been outplayed, if any.

“We’ve competed well in all the games and it’s just a wee chance here or there that’s decided the matches. It’s a really close league and anyone can win games but we probably have as many wins and draws as we’ve got defeats, so it’s close in that regard.

“If you look at the points total in a quarter, if you pick up 14 or 15 points it’s pretty good. If you can manage to maintain that over the course of the season you won’t be too far away. Teams above us had a really good quarter but that really is difficult to keep up.

“If you manage 15 points each quarter you’ll definitely be in about the play-offs anyway at least. So I don’t think we can be too disappointed so far but there is room for improvement.

“We’d love to get more than the 14 points we’re on in the next quarter but that’s obviously easier said than done.”

Dumbarton make the short trip to Cappielow this afternoon and Gaston has hammered home that the Sons won’t be taken lightly by anyone in blue and white.

He said: “Dumbarton are like a few teams in the league who will probably come to sit in, get some quick chances of their own and look to take advantage of that by defending their lead if they can get one.

“The last game we played them was the opening day of the season and they were very difficult to break down. It was only in the last 10 minutes or so that we managed to create chances. We didn’t manage to get one of them in that day.

“But they have started the season well and teams underestimate them every season. But no matter what we’re always confident, especially at home, of getting the three points.”