MORTON manager Gus MacPherson has challenged his players to handle the pressure of taking on Championship favourites Kilmarnock.

The former St Mirren boss believes his troops have the character to meet the test of playing the league leaders head-on.

Tommy Wright's side travel to Greenock off the back of a home defeat to Partick Thistle side and MacPherson says expectations are high for both teams going into tomorrow's showdown.

He told the Tele: “Kilmarnock have a lot of expectations on them and Tommy has said that at a lot over the last couple of weeks.

“There are expectations at Morton as well - it’s just about how you deal with it.

“It’s something that you’ve got to be able to handle, the expectations at established clubs.

"That's one thing that we’re trying to preach to the players here - to be resilient to the challenge presented to them and this time it comes in the shape of welcoming Kilmarnock to Cappielow.

“It’s part and parcel of the game now, to prepare these younger players to be playing at this level of football in the Championship.

“There are a lot of positives from Kilmarnock’s side of things, but we just need to concentrate on ourselves and do what we know we can."

MacPherson says that the game will provide a good opportunity for some of the squad’s younger members to stake a claim, with the likes of Oisin McEntee, Jaakko Oksanen and Brian McLean all missing out.

The Ton boss said: “We said at the start of the season that, despite the squad numbers being tighter, we would have plenty of competition for places and to have flexibility within that.

“At the start of the season you’re saying that to directors and you’ve got to understand that that’s the way things have materialised and in that it gives an opportunity for the younger players to come in and have their chance.

“These are the things that happen before a ball is even kicked, you try and put a squad together in order to be ready to adapt to situations.

“We can come into the game with a spring in our step because we need to remember that the two games in which we’ve already played Kilmarnock have been incredibly tight and competitive.

“I would expect the same again, but we’ve got to make sure that we perform if we want that to be the case.

"We need to go into the game and perform and to be competitive instead of relying on past experiences.

“It’s in our hands to make sure that that happens.”

Morton secured their first victory since August by beating Dunfermline 3-1 at East End Park last Saturday.

The Greenock men haven't won at Cappielow since beating Clyde in the League Cup back in July and MacPherson says tomorrow is the perfect time to end the long wait for a win in front of their home support.

He added: “A home win has been long overdue and tomorrow would be a great time to make sure that we get one.

“We’ve managed to sneak some draws against Hamilton and we’ve had draws that should’ve been victories.

“It really has been frustrating, so it would be nice to be able to turn the frustration into three points.

“It’s been long overdue but it’ll be a stern challenge, but one that we’re more than up for.”