PARS boss Jim McIntyre has thanked the club's fans for their backing despite Saturday's sickening last-gasp loss at home to Inverness.

Athletic lost the season opener cruelly after dominating for long stretches and their hard luck was recognised by the home support who clapped them off the pitch at the end.

"The fans were fantastic, they really were," McIntyre told Press Sport. "It was much appreciated and the players spoke about it after the game. It's the first time they have been applauded off after a defeat and they deserve great credit." Now McIntyre's hoping his side can bounce back from the disappointment of that opening day defeat by collecting three points in a tricky trip to Morton on Saturday.

"It was a sickening time to lose the goal but the bottom line is they know they played well, they know they deserved to win the game and they've got to take confidence from the good play they had," he said.

"It's a tough, tough place to go, Cappielow, it always is and we know what we face. They are a big, strong, physical side so we've got to match that first and foremost, try to win the battle and get the ball down and play." Some of the Pars' best performances of last season came on the road but McIntyre said, "It's a new season and a different team and we go into every game trying to win it.

"This will be no different." Asked whether the team's style this season, with the emphasis on width, would be ideal for a counter-attacking game in away matches, the manager said, "We will stick to our own game plan.

"Teams at home will rightly have to have a go at you and it could suit us but each game is different. We have to approach it in the right manner and play to our strengths." Defenders Greg Ross and Andy Dowie have returned to training after injury so McIntyre has a fully fit squad from which to choose for the game.