HAVING a debrief as a squad after a “tough” few days has been important to ensure the Pars players are united.

That’s the view of goalkeeper Owain Fôn Williams, who believes that retaining a positive spirit within the dressing room is vital if they are to pick up a first league win of the season this Saturday.

Dunfermline will take on Morton – one place and two points above them in ninth – at East End under the charge of Greg Shields and Steven Whittaker, following Peter Grant’s departure following the defeat at Arbroath.

Shields revealed that both the players and coaching staff held an in-depth conversation on Monday and, when asked if it was important for everyone to have their say, Fôn Williams told Press Sport: “It’s always important to have meetings to get the information over because you want everyone to be singing from the same hymn sheet.

“If anyone has a question then its better to ask a question than for it to happen and then ask the question. That goes for anything, and it’s just the same with football.

“That’s why we have these conversations, or meetings, whatever you want to call them, is to put things in place, and then you go out on the training pitch and execute what Greg and Steven put in front of the boys.

“It’s been tough obviously, as you can all imagine what it’s like when these things happen.

“Considering the few days its been, we’ve got to look forward. What we can do now is affect the game on Saturday, and by doing that is preparing right. We’ve got a couple of days now to do so.”

He continued: “You go about your work exactly the same way; nothing changes. What’s been’s been.

“We can only affect now what’s ahead of us but, realistically as players, all you can do is look at yourself in the mirror and apply yourself as best you can, whether you’re an older pro or a young professional starting up.

“All you can do is, each morning, give your best and it’s only going to benefit the team if you do that and apply yourself right.

“It’s very important to get the balance right because it would be so easy right now to be all doom and gloom in some ways, but it’s very important to keep the morale good, keep the boys sharp, to be as positive as can be, and get the guys as confident and as happy as you possibly can.”

Shields also highlighted the positives in having an open discussion, adding: "A bit of autonomy is important, and hearing their voices as well. Sometimes I may not always be right, myself and Steven.

"Ultimately, we make decisions the players have to go by, and that's why we're here, but just to listen to them, some people have different views.

"You've got to let them talk. That's the way they are. They're a group that way that want to talk, they've got a lot inside them that they want to get out.

"A lot of them feel like they haven't performed this season so it's being open about it and showing on Saturday.

"It's giving them the wee carrots every day in training, the fun piece, listening to them laugh, showing them things, and getting them back to what we believe is how to play for Dunfermline."