GALVANISED Morton boss Dougie Imrie insists that this weekend's cinch Championship clash Raith Rovers is pivotal if his side are to achieve back to back fifth place finishes in the league.

With two games to go, Ton are out of the race for the Premiership play-offs after a poor run of form over spring saw Airdrieonians leapfrog them into fourth spot.

They are also safe from ninth place and the relegation play-off position following last week's win over Arbroath.

Imrie now wants to follow it up by defeating Rovers as he looks to finish as high as possible to bolster his budget heading into next season.

He told the Tele: "I think that this game will be really important if we want to finish the season in fifth place.

"We have to win. If we can do that and results from other games go our way, then that could cement fifth place for us.

"That's the aim. It will bring more prize money to the club if we can do that, which'll be a boost going forward.

"We're obviously disappointed that the season has petered out a little bit in the last fortnight in regards to the play-offs.

"It was definitely a possibility at the end of February going into March. It was well within our reach but the results just haven't gone our way.

"We've got a squad here that should be getting results and unfortunately it's just not quite happened as frequently for us as it did between the months of November and February.

"But I've got to give credit for the other teams who've hit their stride at the right time. They've got the points to get them there and we just want to finish as high as we can then we'll need to regroup and go again for next season."

Imrie says the near miss with fourth spot is even more galling than last year, despite the fact it was only goal difference which cost them 12 months ago.

He told the Tele: "We're kicking ourselves again but for different reasons this time. It was in our hands this season, whereas last year we had to do all the work right up until the final ball was kicked.

"This season it was in our hands and it didn't go our way. If we were to win our final two games it could work out that we only miss out by a point. That's how tight this league is.

"There is frustration for everyone and there's nobody more frustrated than myself. We want to be in there and over the course of the last quarter, we just haven't done enough.

"Fifth would be a good return, but it's not where I want to be."