ALLAN JOHNSTON insists he can’t worry about mounting pressure off the park as he focuses on solving Dunfermline’s poor form.

The Pars boss says his side need support from the stands “even more” this weekend as they bid to arrest an alarming slump that has left them without a win in their last seven league matches.

Athletic have won just once in their last 10 Championship outings, a record that leaves them outside the play-offs, but Johnston is adamant that a victory against Brechin City can provide the spark for an upturn in their fortunes.

Despite leaving with a one-goal defeat, Johnston felt his players produced a much improved show at St Mirren but knows he needs results quickly to ease discontentment from fans.

“I’ve just got to get results on the park,” he told Press Sport.

“There’s no point in getting worried about stuff. It’s about getting results and if they keep playing the way they’re playing, then I’m sure results will turn, we’ll start picking up wins and go on a run.

“Last week (against Queen of the South) we were critical of the performance, collectively and individually, but I thought we were the better team on Saturday and didn’t deserve to get beat.

“Let’s not kid ourselves; we’re disappointed not to win but if you keep playing like that you give yourself a good chance of winning games.

“The boys showed a lot of character with the way they played and I think the fans appreciated that as well. You could see them clapping them off even though we got beat, which is brilliant to see from the fans, especially when we’re going through a period like this. We need them even more at the weekend.

“Hopefully they can get right behind the team. It’s going to be a massive second part of the season and, when you see the start we had, we’re more than capable of going on a run and hopefully can produce on the park for the fans.”

Johnston, who said captain Callum Morris has accumulated six bookings and will face a ban, continued: “The Queen of the South game was unacceptable. We all know that but there’s not many times this season that you’d have said they’ve played like that.

“You just need that win to get that wee bit of momentum again. We know we’re capable of it; we know we’ve got good players but we have to win games.

“We’re all aware of that and Saturday’s a great opportunity.”