Dunfermline boss John Potter says his players need to provide the complete package as they aim to get their promotion bid back on track at Cappielow this evening.
The Pars are now without a win in five league fixtures and travel to face a rejuvenated Morton side who could well push Potter’s men further off the pace with a win in this evening’s 5.30pm kick-off.
The home side will be confident of doing just that, having twice beaten the Fifers in their two encounters so far this season, but Potter hopes his team can string together a run of results that will get them back challenging at the top of the table.
“It is a difficult league, we are full-time and so are Morton so we are expected to be up the top,” he said.
“We are not which is disappointing but there are other teams who are full of experienced part time players.
“Brechin, Stranraer and Forfar have all gone on good runs.
“Even the teams that started the season at the bottom have improved big time.
“Stranraer are out in front and then there are still three or four teams that all think that they can win this.
“Then nearly everybody else thinks they can get into the play-offs.
“We need to get on a wee run ourselves and that has to start with a win.
“Performance has not been good enough and we need a big improvement this weekend.
“I think we have shown good spirit in the last wee while.
“We have maybe not played as well in the last two weeks but we have at least shown desire to get back in the game.
“That was probably missing five or six weeks ago.
“We have played to the final whistle and looked fit in the last two games.
“But we know that we have to start the game better – we cannot give teams a lead against us and when we do go in front we have got to see it out.”
Andy Barrowman, who left Morton to join the Pars a couple of weeks ago, will make a swift return to Cappielow, while Ross Forbes, who went in the other direction, could well feature for the hosts.
Morton’s moves in the January transfer window have also raised a few eyebrows, with midfielder Michael Tidser rejoining the Greenock club this week after his release from Rotherham.
He could well make his debut this afternoon and slot into a team that has also been bolstered by the signings of former Dundee striker Peter MacDonald and ex-St Mirren forward Ross Caldwell.
Pars defender Gregor Buchanan will serve the one match suspension he picked up after breaching the disciplinary threshold and Ryan Williamson is still out injured, although Andy Geggan is back from a ban.
Tonight’s game has a later kick-off to accommodate BBC Alba coverage.