GARY Oliver says he’s hopeful of an early goal against Brechin this afternoon to settle Morton nerves after leaving it late the last time they visited Glebe Park.

Today’s opponents Brechin were only nine minutes away from a point against Ton back in October when Andy Murdoch struck to seal all three points for the visitors that afternoon.

It was a long way away from the second clash between the two teams at Cappielow, when Morton hammered Darren Dods’ men 4-1 — and Oliver wants to avoid the anxiety that came with waiting for the late winner.

He told the Tele: “It was a scrappy game the last time we were there but at home we won comfortably. 

“We want to repeat that second game but it’s on their pitch and I don’t think anyone has went there and had it easy against them. 

“Maybe we’ll go there and the gaffer will switch tactics and try something a bit different. They’re hard to break down and they’re quite defensive, so hopefully we can get the tactics right.

“You don’t get many games in this league where you’re going to have a lot of the ball and be favourites to win. But in games like this we can show what we can do and if you want to challenge at the top of the table you have to go and win these games.

“An early goal would open this sort of game right up, so hopefully we can break them down and win from there. But it’s getting that early goal that’s the problem — so we’ll try our best.”  

The Ton striker also took time to reflect on Tuesday’s Renfrewshire derby and insists there was frustration and relief in equal measure on the full-time whistle.

The home side were disappointed not to win the game after a strong second half but Oliver remembers the satisfaction he felt when Thomas O’Ware finally netted the equaliser.

He said: “When you’re a goal down in any game and come back to win or draw it’s always good. But there was the frustration there that we had enough chances where we probably could’ve won the game.

“On another day we would have won it because you only need to look at the chances. And from a goal down we can be pleased enough - we’ll take it.

“When Thomas O’Ware scored there was a sense of relief because it’s happened to us a few times this season where we’ve dominated games but just can’t find the final pass or the final touch to goal. It came in the end thankfully and the result probably reflected a half each.”

There were also a few penalty claims and Oliver had his say. 

He added: “You try your hardest to win the game and to be honest I would have claimed for anything.

“But I think the foul on Bob McHugh at the end was a definite penalty because the boy has gone through the back of him and I don’t think there’s any reason for Bob to go down. It’s a stonewaller.

“There were quite a few daft challenges in the game actually but it’s a derby and there has to be some madness in there. I don’t think the ref had his best game but that’s football.”