The 34-year-old hitman, who also wore the captain’s armband, was named in the first XI at the expense of fellow new boy Ross Caldwell.

It was quickly clear the qualities that made him a fan favourite in his first stint were still there, with his intelligent movement and striking instincts allowing him to sniff out a couple of openings.

But after four months on the sidelines, MacDonald’s finishing wasn’t quite up to his usual razor sharp standards and he passed up four first-half chances.

Ayr keeper David Hutton beat away his stinging drive on 11 minutes while he lobbed onto the roof of the net after Ricki Lamie’s headed clearance sent him through on goal.

The player-coach also screwed a Lee Kilday cutback wide as well sending an acrobatic side volley over the crossbar.

And the visitors were hit with a sucker punch on 37 minutes when a failure to properly clear at a Brian Gilmour corner ended with Morgyn Neill lifting the ball over Grant Adam to score.

But 18-year-old Motherwell loanee Neill quickly turned from hero to villain as he misjudged Thomas O’Ware’s long ball in behind just two minutes into the second half.

The error gave MacDonald the glimpse of goal he needed, and he made no mistake this time, touching inside the advancing former Ton keeper Hutton before rifling into the net.

Ton pushed for a winner but O’Ware twice headed over the top after debutant Ross Forbes and picked him out with teasing near-post corners.

Ian McCall’s Honest Men also caused some concern in Adam’s box in the closing stages, but neither side managed to find the winner.

Although the outcome will be viewed as two points dropped rather than one gained, Stranraer’s 2-0 loss at home to Brechin City saw Ton move to within four points of the League One leaders.

Morton (4-4-2): Adam; Kilday, O’Ware, Lamie, Russell; McKee, Miller, Forbes, J. McCluskey (Caldwell, 58); S. McCluskey, MacDonald © (Ferris, 88).

Subs not used: Pepper, Crighton, Milojevic, Knight, Gaston (gk).

Booked: MacDonald (38), Miller (59), Lamie (90+4).

Ayr United (3-5-1-1): Hutton; Devlin, McGovern, Neill; Murray (Slane, 81), McLaughlin (McCracken, 77), Gilmour ©, Crawford, Donald; Forrest (Shirkie, 85); Donnelly.

Subs not used: McKenzie, McGill, Newman (gk).

Attendance: 1,217 Referee: Colin Steven