MORTON loan striker Denny Johnstone hopes to hit a farewell goal by scoring against Falkirk today — but says helping the club finishing fifth would be far more satisfying.

Birmingham City hitman Johnstone, pictured, is Ton’s top scorer this term having netted 17 goals in 42 appearances in all competitions, thereby breaking his secret pre-season target of 15.

He scored with a backheel in a 5-0 League Cup romp against Elgin City on his debut and would love to bookend his season by getting on the scoresheet against the Bairns.

But the 21-year-old says getting his name on the scoresheet comes a distant second to the Ton picking up the result needed to hold onto fifth position ahead of St Mirren and Queen of the South.

He told the Tele: “I’ve been happy with my goal return, I think it’s been okay.

"On reflection it would have been nice to hit the 20 mark but I am pleased with what I’ve got.

“I didn’t make it public before but I said to myself that if I scored any less than 15 then I would be really disappointed, so I have hit my target.

“I scored on my debut and it would be nice to score a goal against Falkirk in my final game – but I just want to win the game first and foremost.

“You don’t want to let the season peter out in the last game. All the boys want to finish fifth at the end of the day so it’s a big game for us.

“Training hasn’t been any different. It’s just been at the same intensity as it has been all season. The manager wants us to win the game and we want to win the game.”

Falkirk, too, will be going all out for maximum points in their bid to stave off Hibs in the battle for second place, and Johnstone expects a fiercely competitive encounter.

He added: “Our last two matches are against sides that are going for second place, so you wouldn’t thank the fixtures coming in this way.

“Falkirk are going to be up for it, but our boys will have the same desire to get the three points as them.”

Morton chairman Douglas Rae recently criticised the decision to move this weekend’s round of fixtures back to a Sunday at 12.30pm to coincide with the St Mirren versus Rangers match after it was selected for live television 
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Johnstone, though, says that the switch is not something that necessarily affects or upsets him as a professional whose job it is to play football.

He explained: “It’s not really something that bothers me. I know people like football at 3pm on a Saturday, but for me as a player it doesn’t matter when I’m playing.”