MORTON manager Gus MacPherson believes the frustration of dropping valuable points to Alloa can be used to carry his side to safety against Arbroath tonight.

The Cappielow boss revealed his players felt a sense of injustice after losing a late equaliser against Dundee and were annoyed they couldn't kill off the Wasps at Cappielow last Saturday.

But MacPherson has urged his men to use that frustration as extra motivation going into the must-win clash at Gayfield.

The 52-year-old admits - apart from Tynecastle - they couldn't have picked a harder venue to go and secure their Championship status.

But he says the players will be determined to end the campaign with a victory so they aren't having to rely on Inverness beating fellow relegation rivals Ayr United to avoid the dreaded relegation play-off.

He told the Tele: “It’s going to be a tough game but we know what we need to do.

“The players were frustrated after last week's draw to Alloa and we’ve said the same after the Dundee game too a couple of weeks back, the frustration should be the players' motivation.

“Nothing’s changed on that part so there will be more frustration from the last game and that frustration will become the motivation.

“At the end of the day, it’s just a game of football and you’ve just got to go out and play the game.

“We’re under no illusions, it won't be easy as it’s probably the second toughest place we could go to in the league.

“Tynecastle is probably the toughest, but you look at Arbroath’s home record over the last three or four months and it’s been really good.

“If we win we’ve taken care of business, that’s the way that we must approach the game.

“We’d take any kind of goal as long as it wins the game whether it be in the first or 91st minute.

“You’ve got to compete first and foremost and earn the right to create chances.

“We keep repeating ourselves because it can never be in question as to how hard they’ve worked and competed during our time here in the games against Dundee, Motherwell and Hearts.

“Even against Alloa we created plenty of chances, but we just could not take the lead or then get that second goal when we should’ve but today is another game and we’ve just got to apply ourselves in the same fashion as we have done in recent weeks.

“The main concern is that we’ve got to take care of our own jobs and win this game of football, which is all that matters now to keep the club in the league.

“Believe you me, we’ll still find out what’s going on in the Ayr game but that’s not our main concern.

“We’re the ones in control of our own futures here."

MacPherson is refusing to look past tonight’s crunch clash in Angus and that nothing has been set in stone for next season.

Tonight’s game could see the final ball kicked during his time in charge of the club after being appointed until the end of the campaign.

He said: “Next season isn’t even an issue for me at the minute.

“The main priority and focus is trying to win a game of football, my situation is irrelevant at the moment, completely.

“My whole focus is just on winning this game and keeping the club in the division.

“Arbroath have been formidable at home and we won’t be the only ones battling for Championship survival in this game.”