MORTON manager Jim Duffy told how he and his staff had to get the shovels and brooms out to make sure training went ahead at Parklea yesterday.

The Port Glasgow Community Stadium’s playing surface was covered in a layer of snow and ice due to the current cold snap.

Ton boss Duffy, assistant Craig McPherson, kitman Andy Bryan and some development squad players pitched in to clear a section of the park on Monday morning.

Their efforts ensured that the first-team squad managed to get in a valuable session as they began the build-up to their Cappielow clash with Rangers.

Duffy told the Tele: “We did get to train. Obviously we didn’t get a normal training session because the pitch was covered in snow but we had to improvise and adapt to the conditions. We got the shovels out and cleared the snow off an area of the pitch. It was me, Craig, Andy and the young boys particularly.

“The first-team players, we allowed a wee bit of leeway. We let them sit inside until we cleared it away. We managed to clear a decent sized area, and underneath it was perfect, because the snow kind of insulates the ground.

“We had to do that a couple of times last year, so it’s not something you’re bothered about. It’s January in Scotland — you get used to it.

“It’s just a case of getting on with it, and whether you have to do some running or ball work where you keep the ball off the floor, that’s what 
you have to do and do the best you can.

With his Ton side set to host league-leading Gers at Cappielow next Monday, Duffy has his fingers crossed for a thaw in the coming days.

He added: “If it lasts the whole week, it can give you a bit of a problem, particularly when it comes to tactical work because you then can’t do that.

But it doesn’t look as if it’s going to last all week, so hopefully it will be a wee bit better again as the days go on. Unless there’s an unpredicted heavy snowfall then I think we should be okay.

“We’re going to train over the weekend because the game’s on Monday, so I’m sure we’ll have enough time to prepare properly.”

Meanwhile, last night’s Development League West fixture against Dumbarton at Murray Park was postponed due to a frozen pitch.

The match would have been the Ton Under-20 team’s first since the league went on hiatus over the festive period.