SUPER sub Stevie Masterton came off the bench to get a crucial winner for Morton with his first touch and take the Greenock men out of the relegation play-off zone, and three points clear of Ayr, as the battle to avoid the drop hots up.

Jim McAlister found Donovan Simmonds in space on the right and his header was brilliantly volleyed home from 10 yards by Masterton, right.

The goal came 12 minutes from time, just three minutes after Masterton had come on for Kevin McKinlay, inset, below, who was stretchered off with suspected ankle ligament damage.

Morton boss James Grady defended his decision to dump Masterton on the bench, saying: "It needed a re-shuffle and last week we needed attacking options.

"Masty showed in the best way possible that I was wrong to have him on the bench.

"It's great when someone goes on with a desire to score a goal, because I think he really wanted to score it.

"We needed someone with a real hunger and desire." Morton were dominant throughout and carved the first opening when Peter Weatherson swerved on to his left foot and cracked a low shot from 20 yards which Ayr goalkeeper Craig Samson did brilliantly to touch on to his left hand post.

Michael Tidser swung over the corner and Austrian David Witteveen, on loan from Hearts, headed just over.

Grady's side threatened again in 22 minutes when Kevin Finlayson whipped over a cross from the right which Witteveen met on the volley, but veteran defender Andy Aitken got in a goal saving block.

Five minutes later, the Austrian striker, who was in sublime form, glided past Chris Mitchell, but his crisp, low drive from 18 yards was well held low down by Samson, albeit at the second attempt.

For all that pressure, Ayr might have snatched the lead in 43 minutes.

Tam McManus somehow screwed the ball wide from three yards, after Colin Stewart failed to hold a low shot from Bowey.

Deep into stoppage time, 'Ton skipper Stewart Greacen had a header from a Tidser header cleared off the line by Daniel Lafferty.

Ayr might have snatched the lead in 56 minutes, but Stewart made a superb, full-length, save from Ryan McGowan's header.

Witteveen, whose work ethic was immense throughout, almost scored a wonder goal on the hour mark when he tried to lob Samson from 50 yards, but the 'keeper back pedalled to save his blushes.

Three minutes later, at the other end, Stewart did well to block with his legs after Mitchell had opened the 'Ton defence with a through-ball to Ryan McGowan. Just after Masterton came on, David MacGregor had two shots in the space of a minute saved by Samson, before Morton finally got a deserved winner.

Grady added: "Craig Samson had three fantastic saves.

"And you could argue Colin Stewart had one when it was still 0-0, but it was the old adage, goals change games.

"And if that had gone in you don't know what might have happened.

"You need guys who want to win and we're getting that, the only thing is we're not taking a big enough percentage of the chances we're creating.

"That can come back to haunt you, but fortunately against Ayr we got away with it.

"We must not keep on harping on about the chances missed, but it's great to get the three points.

"That's us got 10 points out of 15, so that's a good run we're on now and we've got to take heart from that. The best thing about the situation we are in is that it is still in our own hands."