Morton will host Queen's Park at Cappielow on Saturday in a Scottish Championship match that pits two relegation-threatened sides against each other. The game offers Morton a chance to build on the momentum from their first league win of the season last weekend.
Gary Miller's side ended an 18-game winless run with a 2-1 victory away to Arbroath. That result lifted Morton off the bottom of the table, though they remain in 10th place with just four points from their opening ten matches, a record of one win, one draw and eight losses. The team has scored just seven goals all season while conceding 18, leaving them with a minus 11 goal difference and 18 points adrift of the league leaders.
Captain's outlook
Captain Grant Gillespie, who scored the opening penalty in the win at Gayfield, acknowledged the challenge ahead. "Against Queen's Park, it's going to be an ugly, tough game," said Gillespie. The midfielder stressed the importance of carrying forward the belief gained from that victory.
Gillespie also pointed to the specific areas where the team must improve, referencing the data the club holds. He stated the team's goal is to significantly reduce the goals they are conceding, having let in 18 already, and to start turning narrow losses into draws and wins. The captain emphasised that with an average of only 0.4 points per game so far, the focus is on accumulating points quickly to climb the table, starting with this key fixture.
The last meeting between the sides saw Queen's Park secure a 2-1 win at the start of September. With Queen's Park currently sitting one place above Morton in ninth, Saturday's fixture represents a direct opportunity to close the gap in the standings. Morton have conceded 18 goals this season, the second-worst defensive record in the division.
Miller's team will look to improve a home record that has seen them lose their last four matches at Cappielow, including those recent losses to Raith Rovers, Dunfermline, and Livingston by a 1-4 scoreline. The manager has not indicated any changes to his starting lineup, but the squad will be buoyed by ending their lengthy search for a win. Morton's next match after this is another key fixture in the battle to move away from danger, details of which are on the club's fixtures page. The match against Queen's Park kicks off at 3pm on Saturday, October 17.
