CAPTAIN Chris Hamilton said he was "really proud" of his Dunfermline team-mates after they withstood late pressure to win at Greenock Morton.

The 22-year-old assumed the armband in the absence of regular skipper, Kyle Benedictus, and led his side to a first win at Cappielow in 11 visits to halt a run of three successive defeats.

Owen Moffat's double - his first goals for the Pars - inside the first seven minutes put Athletic in command, but the 'Ton threatened a second half fightback.

They were awarded, and scored, a 78th minute penalty to ensure a nervy finish, but the visitors held firm to secure a well-earned success.

When asked for his immediate post-match assessment, Hamilton said: "Relieved!

"It was a tough one, especially towards the end, but I'm really proud of the boys. It's been a tough few weeks with results lately, and a few bad performances in there as well, so to come here, in not the prettiest of games - it normally isn't a pretty game when you come here - it's all about character, standing up, being together and fighting for each other. That's what we've got in abundance.

Dunfermline Press: The Pars players celebrate during last night's win.The Pars players celebrate during last night's win. (Image: Craig Brown.)

"I'm really proud of the boys.

"It was a really good start, but you need to keep on top of it because if you drop off and try and protect what you've got, then that suits them perfect, because they start playing balls on top of you, playing for seconds, and get into the game.

"It can sometimes make it that wee bit harder when you've got that two-goal lead, so you need to keep going. I felt we did that first half and then credit to them, they put us under pressure second half, and then we stood up to it."

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When it was put to him that he was the first man to lead Dunfermline to a win at Morton since March 2017, Hamilton commented: "I didn't know that. The manager just said it's the first time he's won here as well as a manager, so that just shows it is a tough place to go. Every away ground is a tough place, every team you play is going to be a tough game.

"That just shows a lot about the boys that we've got here because they threw everything at us towards the end, and had a few half chances, but boys were throwing their bodies in the way, Deniz (Mehmet) was coming for crosses and making saves. That's what it's all about.

"Sometimes these ones are the sweetest ones, where you've got to hold on and really work for the three points, so I'm really proud of the boys, and hopefully we can use it to kick on."

Hamilton was involved in a strong shout for a penalty kick in the first half when George Oakley appeared to pull his shirt whilst going for a ball at the far post, and could have put the game to bed in the second period when he sent a diving header wide from close range with the goal at his mercy.

That would've put the Pars 3-0 up, and when asked if he should have had a penalty and a goal, he replied: "Definitely a goal. I should've done better with that. Penalty? I don't know, I was just trying to get round the back post, and I felt like he was maybe trying to get in the way of me, and pulled my shirt.

"Sometimes you get them, sometimes you don't, but I'm delighted with the three points, and hopefully we can kick on."