PARTICK Thistle first foot Morton on Sunday as two of the First Division's struggling sides look to start the New Year positively and pick up valuable points.

It seems like an age since Allan Moore's men last played a match, with their last outing, in mid-December, resulting in a 2-2 draw up at Ross County.

It was a night which set the seal on what's been a difficult year overall for the Greenock club.

They went into it struggling to steer themselves away from the foot of the table, in a gruelling relegation fight which eventually went all the way to the final day of last season.

The club then parted company with caretaker management duo James Grady and Allan McManus, replaced by new boss Moore, with the first team squad radically overhauled during the summer.

Victories have remained few and far between, though, and the club once again finds itself starting January with a bit of work to do.

In the aftermath of all the festive celebrations, it's a sobering thought for any fan to note Morton won just nine league matches in the whole of 2010.

Off the field, finances have caused concern too, with falling attendances leaving chairman Douglas Rae to ponder the future viability of full-time football.

Against that backdrop, it's not over-egging things to say the coming months will be an important time for the club.

But there are reasons to be cautiously optimistic about the prospects for a stronger second half of the campaign.

Morton have put in more convincing performances of late and have been unlucky not to lift more points than they have.

The defence, the initial building block of many a successful side, also looks much more solid than a year ago, while the nature of the league means a decent run of form could quickly push Morton up the table.

They're capable of doing that, and the process will begin in earnest when Ian McCall brings his Maryhill men along the M8 for what's likely to be a close encounter.

Amid all the winter weather woes, Thistle were one of the few sides in Scotland who saw some action on Boxing Day, playing out a goalless draw at home to Raith.

That result leaves the Glasgow club a couple of points ahead of Morton, who hold a game in hand over them.

The Greenock men really ought to be looking to capitalise on home advantage and leapfrog their opponents, especially having seen them off the premises on their last visit back in August.

They also gained an away point at Firhill in November, on a day when they found it difficult to fashion a chance worthy of the name.

A key man in ensuring they do create opportunities - albeit not on Sunday, due to injury - could be Sean Fitzharris, after Morton completed a new loan agreement for the young Celtic colt. His pace, close control and ability to send in a telling cross could be key in overcoming the tight defences Ton will face over the next few months.

It remains to be seen if there will be any other arrivals on Sinclair Street, beyond the club securing Darren Young to his new deal and extending the loans for Fitzharris and Grant Evans, the Hamilton defender.

In terms of movement in the opposite direction, Allan Moore this week revealed that Tarik Bengelloun would not be returning to Greenock, bringing to an end a somewhat farcical signing saga which has rumbled on since the summer.

In a separate development, which also came as little surprise, the manager recently confirmed that Jonathan Toto would not be playing for the club again either.

Neither deal has worked out at all, but at least a move has been made to finally draw a line under the pursuit of both players.

Also heading for the exit door recently was former club captain Stewart Greacen, who brought down the curtain on a seven-year stint at Cappielow.

While the amiable big defender had his ups and downs during his time at the club, he can look back fondly on skippering the title-winning side of 2007, and he assured the respect of supporters for his commitment to the cause, which was never any less than wholehearted.

He can now begin a new chapter elsewhere, while Morton attempt to forge a fresh start of their own.