Published: Friday, 11th July, 2008 11:55pm

Morton return with a victory

by Russell Steele

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DURHAM CITY 0 MORTON 3

Impressive form: Erik Paartalu, who scored with a great strike against Durham, and has been in fine form for Morton in the build-up games.

DURHAM CITY 0 MORTON 3

(Wake, 20, Paartalu, 26, Newby, 47)

MORTON head into tomorrow’s Cappielow friendly with Ayr United in fine fettle after completing their mini-tour of north-east England with a victory last night.

Strike pair Brian Wake and Jon Newby both netted in a comfortable win, while midfielder Erik Paartalu — who has caught the eye in these warm-up games with his composure and intelligent use of the ball — also found his way on to the scoresheet.

Trialist defender Chris Smith, operating on the left side of a back three, did his cause no harm as he was given another 90-minute run-out and responded with an encouraging show.

His fellow five trialists started the game on the bench but all were introduced in a second half strewn with substitutions.

City, who coasted to the Northern League Division One title last season, started brightly but it was Morton who drew first blood after 20 minutes when Wake gathered possession down the left, checked inside, and fired home a low right foot shot.

He almost made it 2-0 a minute later when Stevie Masterton fed Newby and his pinpoint cross found the ex-Gretna man lurking inside the box — but the header was directed straight at the keeper.

Ton were beginning to move through the gears against their opponents, who were clad in Barcelona style strips, and they did not have to wait long to increase their lead.

With 26 minutes on the clock Paartalu picked up possession in the centre of the park, strode forward in confident fashion, looked up, and thumped a terrific strike into the net.

The big Aussie was again at the heart of things soon after when he clipped the ball into Newby, who shuttled it into the path of Wake for a low drive which skidded inches past. As Ton turned the screw Ryan McGuffie and Wake both came close with headers after being supplied with excellent deliveries from Jim McAlister and Kevin Finlayson respectively.

In the second half the match was broken up with a steady stream of substitutions, but hitman Newby remained on the park long enough to evade the static Durham defence and loft home for a third, having latched on to a long ball.

That completed the scoring and now Morton return north, ready for the next stage in their pre-season preparation against an Ayr side which could feature some familiar faces.

Morton: Stewart (Bradley, 61), Weatherson, Smith,Paartalu (Nicholl, 59), McManus (Trialist 56), Masterton (Trialist, 53), Finlayson (Mitchell, 67), McGuffie (Trialist, 56), Newby (Russell, 53), Wake (Graham, 53, Kerrigan, 64), McAlister (Stevenson, 59).