MORTON manager Jonatan Johansson insists his team are a ‘different side’ to the one that lost 3-0 the last time they faced Dunfermline at East End Park.

The Cappielow outfit head through to Fife to take on the Pars, as both teams look to edge away from the relegation zone with just two games to go.

A win for either side will all but guarantee their safety in the Championship next season, while a draw or defeat could take their fate out of their own hands.

Johansson’s side have had little to cheer against Stevie Crawford’s men this season.

Morton have drawn two and lost one against the Pars, with their last clash at East End Park ending in a heavy 3-0 defeat in December.

Despite being in the running for a promotion play-off spot just last month after winning five games in a row, Athletic have struggled badly in recent weeks. The Pars have not picked up a win in their last six games, losing five of those matches.

The Ton boss is confident that his side can secure three points in Fife this afternoon after their recent improved performances.

He told the Tele: “We’ve had some poor games against them, we’ve had some battles. Last time we were there we were poor but it’s two different sides this time.

“Five or six weeks ago everybody said Dunfermline were in the play-offs and that’s just the way it happens.

“We need to concentrate on our point of view, but from their point of view they have to be up for it because all of a sudden everyone is catching up with them.

“It’s going to be tough and with it being their last home game there will be a big crowd there, it’s something we will look forward to.

“Our away form has been good lately, we can go confidently into that game and we know what’s at stake.”

After a poor run themselves, Morton slid down the table and got sucked into a relegation battle, with six teams now scrapping to avoid the drop.

With the pressure on Morton, they secured two good results in their last outings. They were minutes away from a win against Inverness Caley Thistle but had to settle for a draw, and defeated Falkirk comfortably last week.

Johansson says his players rose to the occasion, and believes that’s partly down to how much the Ton squad has been through this campaign.

Most of the players were signed by previous manager Ray McKinnon, before he moved to Falkirk just three months later in controversial circumstances.

Johansson says that helped bring the squad together, and made them more willing to fight for each other.

He added: “The squad has been through a lot. Before me coming in the manager got together a squad, and then leaving after a couple of games of course it is going to affect the squad.

“In January there were changes, some of it was unavoidable and with everything else around the club, it’s been difficult and it’s been a tough season on a number of fronts.

“But I have to say within the squad, in the dressing room and on the training pitch it has been brilliant, they’ve been working hard for me and we’ve had a positive attitude and we’ve dug in.

“We’ve stuck together and we’ve seen that in the last two games when the chips were down the players have really stood up and hopefully they will do that again today.”