Morton v Dunfermline preview: Ton look to halt form slump

Dougie Imrie's men have lost their last three Championship games and collected just a solitary point out of the last 12 available to them.

It goes without saying, almost, that a record like that will not take them to where they want to be in May, so they need to pick up results over the next few weeks, With two home games coming up, and their schedule finally easing with no midweek games until the final one is played next month down at Ayr, they must try and take advantage.

While the recent run of form doesn't look great there are mitigating factors to be taken into account, principally the arduous fixture schedule and the return of the injury problems at a critical juncture of the campaign.

Not many clubs would cope well with the loss of several key players at once, but it's particularly painful for Morton given that their squad lacks the strength in depth that rivals with deeper pockets can fall back upon.

The fact they have scored only one goal since losing George Oakley to the treatment table speaks volumes and the sooner the big fellow is back fully fit again the better.

On the more positive side, if you take a step back from the bald facts and figures, the matches Ton have lost of late have all been nip and tuck affairs.

It was well documented how strongly they performed against Hearts in the Scottish Cup quarter final tie, and they were unfortunate not to claim a share of the spoils against Dundee United a few days beforehand.

The manager cited missed opportunities after last Saturday's loss to Partick as he alluded to how the result could have turned out differently, but overall Morton could have no complaints whatsoever about the final result.

Partick had gone into the game on an eight game winless run but they clearly started the game better and it wasn't a big surprise when they got themselves ahead.

Kris Doolan's outfit were brighter, sharper and more inventive than the visitors throughout and they also missed good chances of their own into the bargain.

The Jags deserved the victory as they continued their strong record against their rivals from down the M8 and opened up what could be a significant six point gap between the sides.

Morton do have a game in hand over them, but points in the bag are always so much better when the business end of the season is in full swing and matches are running out.

While there was nothing particularly awful about Ton's typically workmanlike performance, any realistic observer would recognise they will ultimately need much more than this if they are to improve on last season's finish and make the frame for the end of season shootout.

It was a showing which was full of perspiration but short on inspiration and as soon as they went a goal behind the fear was where the goals were going to come from, other than coming up with something off a set play.

They need to find a bit more guile from someone to open teams up, especially when they cannot rely on having the physical presence of an obvious target man at the top of the pitch.

While Imrie's men were facing a team who had been at a low ebb last week, tomorrow's opponents will come to Sinclair Street full of the joys of spring.

It has been a testing campaign for Dunfermline since coming up from League One and my own view has always been that they have underachieved with the players they have at their disposal.

But perhaps that is about to change.

The Pars were very impressive indeed as they put Dundee United to the sword at East End Park last Friday night and that will have given them a big injection of confidence.

James McPake and his players have been unable to find a bit of consistency until now but they now have players back fit again and believe they can be the dark horses to come with a dramatic late rattle up the rails.

Their win last weekend puts them with touching distance of Ton and they know that a win would see them leapfrog the locals, which is an obvious added incentive.

The gap between them was eight points when the Greenock side meted out that 5-0 beating in Fife seven weeks ago, so it just shows how fortunes can change in this crazy league.

McPake's men will have that miserable afternoon in the back of their minds when they take to the field tomorrow.

But they know that they have already been to Cappielow and won this season, so Morton should go into this one well and truly warned about the threat they will face.

They must also be mindful that they are going to have to up their game again - they need bring a bit more to the party if they want to get things back on track.