MORTON manager Jim Duffy has urged the club’s under-20s to use their league title win as a stepping stone to making the first-team squad.

The Ton boss was in attendance at Cappielow on Wednesday night to see the youngsters lift the Development League West trophy after beating Ayr United 1-0 in a winner-takes-all clash.

Jack Purdue’s penalty was enough to seal the win, but there were a number of nervous moments, with goalkeeper Daniel Farrell making a number of tremendous stops to deny Ayr.

And the manager praised the side for handling the pressure well.

Duffy told the Tele: “It was a fantastic achievement for the under-20s to win the league.

“It’s hard to win any league at any level of football, especially to win it off the back of a fantastic run of form, 10 wins out of the last 11. They’re a young team as well, there were very few first team players involved.

“Winning is good for them and I’m sure they were getting tired and a bit nervous in the last 10 minutes, which is understandable, and young Danny Farrell in goal had some fantastic saves, the last one was particularly outstanding.

“Jack showed great composure for the penalty, it’s a big moment in the game and he showed great composure to stick it away.

“It’s been a good couple of months for the young ones and hopefully that will spur them on, and ultimately their careers won’t be defined by winning the development league, it’s by getting into the first team.”