Gavin Gallagher says Airdrie can’t control what goes on elsewhere in the Championship relegation dogfight, so the Diamonds are fully focused on a victory over Morton on Saturday.

While Airdrie were picking up a creditable draw at Raith Rovers last weekend, both Hamilton Academical and Dunfermline Athletic earned victories to edge them further ahead in the race to avoid the drop – although Thursday’s SPFL tribunal saw Hamilton deducted 15 points, lifting Airdrie off the bottom of the table for the first time since September.

Equalling or bettering Accies’ next result will see the threat of automatic relegation removed for the Diamonds, and the focus will shift to avoiding the play-offs altogether.

With a gap of five points to Queen’s Park and Dunfermline, and nine to play for, midfielder Gallagher says it’s too early to know whether the point at Stark’s Park was a good one.

“We’ll need to see at the end of the season. I thought in the first half we were very good, and then second half we kinda lost our way a wee bit.

“Chances for both sides – but we now just need to look forward to Saturday and we’ve got three more cup finals to go.”

The first of those ‘cup finals’ comes in the shape of a home tie against Morton this weekend, with the Greenock men still in with an outside chance of making the promotion play-offs.

Matches between the sides have been typically close-fought affairs this season, with Morton winning 2-0 at Cappielow in September before two 2-2 draws in December and February.

Gallagher feels the Diamonds deserved more from those ties, particularly the most recent meeting when Ben Wilson and Ricco Diack traded goals with Nathan Shaw and Jack Baird.

“It’s probably been the story of our season, if you’re looking back on it, there are a few games that we probably should have edged and won.

“I thought at Cappielow we’d done enough to win the game, but that’s how football works, you go away with a point. Usually going away to those grounds, you’d take a point – they’re tough places to go – but as I said we’re at home, so we’re looking to take the three points.”

Although mid-table safety looks like the most feasible outcome for Dougie Imrie’s side, Gallagher says there’s no chance the Inverclyde outfit will be taking their foot off the gas.

“They’ll come here and they’ll be thinking about trying to get three points off us. It’s Dougie’s team, they’re never ones to lie down. It’ll be a tough game.

“No team should go into a game thinking “we don’t need need to win today” or “we can get a draw” – you should go into every game thinking you’re going to win. I fully expect that from Morton.”

And although Airdrie themselves have been a different prospect since the turn of the year, Gavin says there’s no point in worrying about other teams’ results as the relegation battle goes to the wire.

“We always talk about our form from January, I think it’s been really, really good.

“We can’t concentrate on the teams round about, we just need to concentrate on ourselves and do what we can do out on the pitch. If we do the job then I’m sure we’ll be fine.”

Diamonds boss Rhys McCabe emphasises the point that Morton won’t be giving up while there’s still a possibility of promotion, however slim that may be.

“There’s still a slight chance that Morton can make a last push to get in those play-off spots. They’re always tough games, both home and away, and I expect no different on Saturday.

“I’m pretty sure that Dougie and the guys over there will be making sure that they’re well drilled. They’ll know that it’s a big ask, but at the same time they’ve got to go about their business and try to make sure that they’re getting as many points as they can.

“At the same time we’re fighting for our lives down there at the bottom, and we know we’ve got to put in another really strong performance to get three points.”

Aaron Reid (hamstring), and Cammy Bruce (knee) continue to miss out for Airdrie. Former Morton defender Lewis Strapp has resumed light training in a bid to return before the end of the season, and three players are being closely monitored after picking up knocks against Raith – while Alex Bannon is hoping to be available, Aidan Wilson and Lewis McGrattan remain major doubts for Saturday’s match.

Referee Kevin Clancy is involved in a match featuring Airdrie for the first time since September, when he took charge of the 2-1 defeat at Livingston.

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