Published: Thursday, 10th July, 2008 11:55pm

Ton build-up continues with draw

by Russell Steele

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TOW LAW 1 MORTON 1

Equalising goal: Iain Russell on target.

MORTON continued their pre-season build up last night with a fairly useful workout against a side nicknamed The Lawyers — but the jury remains out as Davie Irons continues to assess his trialists.

Four of them featured in the starting line-up for this friendly at the Ironworks Road Ground. Ex-Rangers kid Chris Smith was joined at the back by one new hopeful, while two more lined up in midfield.

Irons partnered his latest signing Jon Newby up front with Brian Wake, who was back at his old stomping ground — playing against the club for whom he once notched 50 goals in one season.

In a drab opening half Tow Law carved out the clearest chance, but John McKie saw his fierce left-foot shot tipped round the post by Colin Stewart.

Kevin Finlayson came close for Ton five minutes before half-time with a close range effort which was cleared off the line, following a good break by Jim McAlister.

Irons shuffled the pack at half-time — but Ton struggled to find their rhythm on a pitch with inclines more akin to the Clune Brae or Lyle Hill.

And they fell behind in 59 minutes, when Andy Johnson got in behind the defence to clip the ball over sub keeper Adam Bradley.

As conditions deteriorated, the men from the Arngrove Northern League looked comfortable and were not seriously tested until 82 minutes, when Peter Weatherson’s whipped free-kick clipped the top of the bar.

But Morton restored parity with three minutes remaining, when Jamie Stevenson played Brian Graham in, and he squared across goal to leave Iain Russell with a simple tap-in.

With the 1-1 result relatively academic, Irons will be pleased his players have had another run-out on a testing pitch.

Ton take on Durham City tonight — and perhaps their players will, for once, be pleased to play on an artificial — and flat — surface.

Tow Law: Norton (Allan); Gowland; Hollingsworth, Langthorne, Renshaw (Hutt), Mudd, Henderson, McGuire (Eccles), Benjamin (Johnson, B), Teasdale (Johnson, A), McKie (Dixon).

Morton: Stewart (Bradley, 46); McManus, Smith, Trialist (Paartalu, 46), Finlayson (Russell, 46), Masterton (McGuffie, 46), McAlister, Trialist (Stevenson, 66), Trialist (Weatherson, 46), Wake (Graham, 65), Newby (Nicoll, 65).