GARY Oliver hopes he can take his man of the match performance from Morton’s 3-2 win over Dunfermline into this weekend’s clash with Queen of the South.

Oliver put in a hard working shift against the Pars, playing in behind striker Bob McHugh to run himself into the ground for his side before being subbed for match-winner Jai 
Quitongo.

The 22-year-old is hopeful that he has done enough to stay in the side for this Saturday’s trip to Dumfries — where they’ll take on Oliver’s former employers.

He told the Tele: “I thought Saturday was a tough game against a tough side but I felt that I played well. 

“My touch was good and I’m happy with the way I played considering it was my first game back from the start in about six weeks.

“To get man of the match topped it off and it was a good result. 
“I didn’t play the full game and it’s good to still be recognised even when you’re not scoring goals.

“Contributing in other ways as well, I thought I did that. I worked hard in the gym to get back to it and I felt good, fit and strong. I can take that from the game into this weekend hopefully.

“The gaffer wanted someone in there to link the midfield to the attack. He wanted me to drop a bit deeper, link the play and get us forward.

"I prefer playing off the front, I like to assist and help the team. I probably won’t be scoring 20 goals a season so that’s my job.”

Oliver has bittersweet memories of playing for Ton on the plastic pitch at Palmerston Park — he netted a belter against the hosts last season during Ton’s 5-0 mauling of the Doonhamers before picking up a horrible knee injury in the 3-0 reverse four months later.

The ex-Hearts attacker insists confidence is sky-high both in his own mind and in the Morton camp ahead of the Championship fixture this weekend.

He said: “It’s my old team and I scored in the game we won 5-0 there last season. 

“We’ve played well down there. But I’ve got good and bad memories there because the last time I played there I got a bad injury.

“But the 5-0 game was one of our best games of the season last year, away from home against a decent Queen of the South team, so to do that again would be doing alright!

“All the boys in training have been a wee bit more upbeat this week because the last few weeks maybe haven’t been going our way against Livingston and things like that. 

“But it’s good to go into games with a lot of confidence, which is what we’re doing after Saturday.

“From a personal point of view my confidence is up, for my game you need confidence. 

“Once I get that, I’m sure I’ll be at my best and I’ll give any team in this league problems.”