DUNFERMLINE 1 Todd (35) MORTON 3 Oliver (13, 87 pen), Ugwu (60)

Morton boss Gus MacPherson was satisfied with his side’s efforts as they put distance from their hosts at the bottom of the division running out 3-1 victors at East End Park on Saturday.

MacPherson said: “It’s timely. I’m delighted for the players. They have been fantastic.

“They have come in for some criticism and some challenges but they have stuck together and it’s had an effect.

“We were disappointed with the goal we lost but we galvanised from that.

“The second half was a very accomplished performance.

“Dunfermline haven’t hurt us and overall it was a solid and workmanlike performance.”

The visitors started brightly and took the lead 13 minutes in, Jimmy Knowles finding Gary Oliver, who rifled home into the bottomleft corner.

The Pars, however, showed a spirit previously not seen this season after the setback.

And, with 10 minutes of the first half left, they were back on level terms.

Kevin O’Hara’s beautiful cross was met by an onrushing Matthew Todd, who fired home.

The second half started at a slower pace, both sides looking more afraid to lose than willing to win.

Morton, though, perhaps mustered more confidence in the camp.

And an hour in, they had taken the lead again.

A Knowles corner to the back post was nodded back by Michael

Ledger to Alan Lithgow, who did enough to get the ball to Gozie Ugwu. The former Raith man gleefully lifting it into the roof of the net from close range.

Craig Wighton was thrown on with 25 minutes to go, tasked with salvaging something for Dunfermline.

And he very nearly did this

– and more than once – but for heroic defending by first Oisin McEntee to block a goal-bound shot then by Oliver clearing a header off the line.

This would be as close as the Pars would come and their misery would be compounded with five minutes left as Oliver tucked home from the spot after a Mark Connolly hand ball.

This left Dunfermline caretaker Steven Whittaker to bemoan: “The result is disappointing.

“We are here to try and get us out the position we are in and that wasn’t achieved today.”