Morton's No2 wants side to extend run
Chris Tait • Published 14 Jan 2012 08:00
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Mark McNally wants Morton to extend their winning run against Raith Rovers today - but would rather they didn't wait until after the break to kick into gear.
Ton have won their last three games, including a Scottish Cup triumph in Kirkcaldy, but have had to battle back from a goal down in their last two fixtures.
And while assistant boss McNally believes Ton hold the psychological edge in this afternoon's contest, he admits it is not ideal facing Raith for the second week in a row.
McNally told the Tele: "It's not ideal playing the same team two weeks in a row but it's at home and we did well in the second half against them last week.
"We hope that we can continue that on into this game, certainly the performance we put in during the second half.
"I think we have a psychological edge - if you are beaten by a team at home then have to go and play them away there is a mental advantage for us.
"But that doesn't win you games and we are going to have to go out and do as well as we did last week in the first half this time, not just in the second half.
"In the last two games we have had to come from behind and at home you've got to start on the front foot and let teams chase us rather than us chasing them.
"We've got to get the first goal, have teams chasing us and then go and get the second and third goals to finish them off."
But McNally can take heart from Ton's battling qualities - believing this shows there is a strong team spirit in the Cappielow squad.
He said: "It is pleasing to see that we have come from behind to win games - that shows that there is a team spirit there and the boys will stick together.
"We know that if we go behind then it's not a case of game over, but we have been stressing to them all week that we want to have a team chasing us.
"If that happens then the game opens up and I think that's when we are at our best - I think our fitness has played a major part in the last two games.
"We have got back on level terms and have looked like the only team that is going to win, but we can't do that all the time."
Meanwhile, defender Grant Evans is one of a number of Ton players nursing knocks from their trip to Fife last weekend.
But McNally revealed he would be given until the last minute to prove his fitness. He added: "Grant is giving us some concern.
"He turned his ankle last week and has struggled to train, but we will give him all the time we can for him to show he is fit.
"We have a few knocks with Derek Young and Thomas O'Ware also struggling a bit but we will see how they are."
This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 14 Jan 12
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