LEWIS Strapp admits he was a bundle of nerves making his Morton debut on Saturday — and he expects the adrenaline will be pumping again if he keeps his place against Clyde tonight.

Left-back Strapp made his competitive top-team bow at Cliftonhill in the Betfred League Cup group section tie against Albion Rovers.

His appearance followed back-to-back friendly runouts against Livingston and Partick Thistle, but he revealed those paled in comparison to the intensity of the real thing.

The Dunoon-born defender, who only turned 16 on November 26 last year, feels ready to continue if Mark Russell is still absent but also has no doubt the butterflies in the stomach will still be there.

He told the Tele: “I actually got a wee knock against Partick Thistle and was out of training Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, tried Thursday but took the second half of the day off and trained Friday.

“So, I didn’t know how my foot was going to feel — it was just a wee knock on the inside — but the manager said to me on Friday to get the bus and that’s how I found out I’d be involved.

“I knew Mark Russell wasn’t fit and the boys were telling me I’d be starting, and then on the day of the game I found out.

“I was nervous — very nervous. It was a big experience for me playing with and against some very experienced boys.

“It was intense. You’re not wanting to mess up so you’re trying to keep your head cool and it’s very different to the friendlies. You know if you mess up in a friendly that it will be quickly forgotten.

“But on Saturday there’s a crowd there who have all paid in to watch and you are nervous in case you cause a goal.

“That’s running through your mind before the game, 100 per cent. It’s the main thing you think about, so you try to focus on keeping things simple and do what the gaffer asks you do to do. 

“I think I played alright. There were a couple of passes that just got away from me and the pitch was a little bit bumpy, but you can’t complain about that.

“But overall I’m happy that I didn’t mess up and proud I guess that I was part of a defence that kept a clean sheet on my debut.

“I don’t know when Mark Russell will be back. 

“I might still be in the team against Clyde, I don’t know yet, but I feel ready to keep playing.

“I’ll be nervous obviously still and it will be that way for the first couple of games, coming in as a young boy.

“But a lot of players talk to you. Michael Tidser is really good that way. He talks you through the game before it and during it and that’s a massive help.”

After sharing a goalless draw with the League One outfit, Strapp and his team-mates picked up a bonus point via a penalty shootout.

And he added: “For my first game, you could say I’m happy to have drawn and won on penalties. At least you’re not going home and saying you lost your first game.

“Where was I on the penalty list? Probably last behind the goalkeeper! Before Andy [McNeil] saved their final penalty it was running through your head where you’re going to put it if it comes to you.

“But there still a couple of boys to take, guys like Michael Doyle, Gary Oliver, Jai Quitongo, and they would have probably taken them in front of me so the pressure wasn’t on.”

Strapp started with the Ton academy at Under-14 level, and very early on his then-youth coach Sandy MacLean confidently predicted to the Tele that he would go play for the club’s first-team.

When told of MacLean’s faith, he said: “Sandy is a good guy. 

“I liked him a lot and he did very well with me and looked after me, and I still keep in touch with him.

“I’m surprised by how quick everything has happened for me. I came up a year early as one of the younger boys and was in with the first-team a couple of times.

“Then last year we won the league with the reserves and that set me off a little. I signed a full-time, year-and-a-half contract around Christmas time to match up with the older development boys. It’s been great. 

“I’ve always wanted to be a professional footballer and it’s kind of becoming reality now.”