GARY Oliver is hoping to repay Morton manager Jonatan Johansson’s faith in him with goals if he can stay in the starting line-up.

The Ton striker made his first start of the league campaign against Ayr United last week, with his last coming against Dumbarton in the Challenge Cup back in August.

Oliver grabbed his only goal of the campaign in that game against the Sons, but a niggling injury ruled him out shortly afterwards and prevented him getting a run in the team.

The former Queen of the South forward felt he didn’t receive much of an opportunity under Ray McKinnon.

However, with Johansson in charge, the 23-yearold senses there’s a chance to stake his claim for a run in the starting 11.

He told the Tele: “It was my first start in about seven weeks. Dumbarton was my last proper game.

“Football is strange sometimes, if somebody picks up an injury, you do well or just pure luck you can get a chance.

“But there are good players at the club, good forward players, so you just need to wait for your chance and hopefully grab it.

“It’s hard being out of the team trying to get back in as well. You try your best at training but it wasn’t a great game for me to come back in for, a 5-1 defeat.

“These things happen, we just need to move on and hopefully I’m picked for the next game and I can show my quality.

“Under Ray I didn’t get much of a chance but the new manager’s come in and given everyone a clean slate.

“I’ve managed to impress in training and he’s given me a chance so hopefully I can repay him.

“For a striker you need a run of games to get your confidence up. That’s when you start playing your best games. If I have confidence. I’m sure I’ll do well and I’ll score goals.”

While Oliver won a penalty for Morton against Ayr, it was a tough afternoon against the Honest Men, which eventually saw them run out 5-1 winners.

The former Hearts attacker hopes it doesn’t damage his chances of being in the starting line-up against Inverness Caley Thistle today.

He added: “It was good to be back in the picture, the gaffer is giving me a chance to play, although it wasn’t the best of games from our point of view.

“We missed a penalty and we collapsed from there.

“I don’t think we deserved to lose by such a big margin but that’s football for you.

“It wasn’t my worst game, it wasn’t my best game, it’s not an easy shift when I’m up there on my own against four defenders and we launched the ball up a lot more than usual and it doesn’t suit my game.

“It was my first game in a good few weeks, so I’m not 100 per cent match sharp.

“But hopefully after a few games under my belt I’ll start to find my feet and the best will come out of my game.”