ANTON McElhone believes that his Morton players will need no motivation before they face champions-elect Hearts tomorrow.

The interim boss insists his side shouldn't be daunted by the challenge of facing the runaway Championship leaders and is looking forward to coming up against Robbie Neilson’s side.

McElhone has thrown down the gauntlet to his players and says tomorrow's clash is the perfect opportunity for them to stand up and be counted as they look to get their first win in eight games.

He told the Tele: “It’s a tough run of games that we’ve got but everyone’s got to play these teams at some stage of the season.

“At the moment it's our turn, previously it could’ve been Alloa and Queen of the South. But once you get that one win, inevitably wins start coming after that.

“There’s nothing more that we can do to motivate the players because these are high level games to be playing in and they’re highly motivating in themselves.

“You’re playing Inverness, Hearts and Dundee, these are the biggest games in the league this season.

“They’re ready to go and we know that we can go to Tynecastle and really match a team like Hearts.

“That’s all we ask for, on the day if you put everything in then hopefully you come out of it with a result, like we did against Dunfermline.

“We’re going to go and play in a good stadium in the shape of Tynecastle, where the surface will be a bit more playable, so hopefully that can help the players as well.

“We’ve gone to Queen of the South and were really disappointed with the result, we felt as if we could’ve and should’ve had a point.

“We’ve reacted well against Inverness and gotten a magnificent point with 10 men.

“We’ve then been hit with a sucker punch against Arbroath and Raith, where we haven’t been peppered with shots but we haven’t put too much pressure on at the other end.

“We’ve brought players in and given them a chance and a run in the team and it’s time for these boys now to stand up and be counted.”

With Morton without a win in seven games, McElhone is confident their luck will change as his players give 100 per cent in every game.

He believes that they will iron out the fine margins that have been missing and that a win will come sooner rather than later.

He said: “We’ve taken some good points when maybe we haven’t deserved them at times during the season and we know that we’re so close to getting those fine margins polished up.

“The guys give me everything, they’re an honest bunch.

“Some days it will be good, some day it will be bad.

“I’ve got no qualms, we’re here to win games and we’re doing everything to try and do that.

“That will come because it will come to a point where it will happen.

“What would be worrying is that if we were playing and weren’t doing the right things and we were getting beat four or five nil every week which we’re not.

“We’ll be more than okay.”