Bob McHugh thinks that Morton will have a better chance of claiming three points against table-topping St Mirren than they do against some of the lesser teams in the Championship, because their Renfrewshire rivals will attack them.

McHugh has been frustrated at times this season as Morton have conceded cheap goals and then had to contend with sides sitting in deep against them.

But he is expecting Jack Ross’s side to come out all guns blazing in front of their own fans on Saturday, and he reckons that could play right into Morton’s hands.

“I think this is the type of game that will suit us,” McHugh said. “When you’re playing Dumbarton like we were last week, or whoever it may be, they’ve got quality but they are also defensively minded.

“When you give them a goal early on, you’ll always struggle to break them down if you don’t hit back straight away.

“Teams like St Mirren do suit us, because they will come out and attack, and hopefully that will prove to be the case this weekend.

“Any three points in this league are hard to get, all the teams are so evenly matched, and especially in the derby away from home.

“But if we can manage to get three points this weekend it would be a great result for the boys and I’m sure the fans would be delighted with that.”

Morton have of course already tasted victory in the first derby of the season, winning convincingly by four goals to one at Cappielow with McHugh finding the net.

He is hoping to burst the black and white bubble once more, but thinks it may well be a tougher test this weekend than the one they faced at the start of the campaign.

“There was a lot of hype before the first derby about St Mirren’s form, so you were never quite sure how they would respond to a defeat like that,” he said.

“Obviously they have bounced back well, and you just have to look at the quality in their squad to see what you are up against.

“But there is plenty of belief in our dressing room that we can go out and turn them over.

“You can draw on the belief from the last game, and look at what we did well and what caused them problems in that match. That will give us confidence.”

McHugh is loving life at Cappielow so far after signing for Jim Duffy’s men in the summer.

The striker isn’t entirely satisfied with his own personal form though, despite bagging six goals so far, and he thinks there is more to come from both he and his team.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it, it’s been great so far,” he said.

“I would have liked a few more goals though, and our form has been a bit patchy of late, especially at home, but if we can sort the home form out and get a wee run together then I’ll be much more content.

“There’s definitely more to come. If we can eradicate some of the cheap goals we’ve given away and get on the front foot to get the first goal, then it will be a different story.

“There’s not been a lot in the games that we’ve been beaten in, so we have to take the positives and try to get the first goal this weekend, and go on and get the win to push ourselves back into those playoff positions.”