MARK Russell believes Morton manager Jim Duffy did well in the January transfer window — despite missing out on a couple of last-minute swoops.

Duffy exclusively revealed to the Tele on deadline day that he had been beaten to the signatures of a couple of other players who went to Premiership clubs in Scotland.

But Ton’s 20-year-old left-back insists the acquisition of Lawrence Shankland earlier in the window is enough to help his side progress, even though Duffy had targeted at least one other potential signing that didn’t come to fruition.

He told the Tele: “I’d probably say I’m happy [with what the gaffer did in the transfer window]. 

“Lawrence Shankland came in earlier in the January window, and he is a player who we really needed up front. He’s come in and done well for us.

"He’s bedded in well, performed well in the games he’s been involved in and looked good in training, so he’s come in and definitely done well.

“The squad is looking in good shape at the minute with competition for places.”

The Greenock outfit visit Palmerston Park this afternoon in the Ladbrokes Championship, and Russell is adamant that the 5-0 win over the Doonhamers on Ton’s last trip to Dumfries back in October is the last thing on their minds.

And he believes everyone in the Ton camp would take a much slimmer margin of victory this time round — as long as it was, indeed, a win.

He added: “It’s just another game for us on Saturday to hopefully keep our decent winning run going. 

“We want to go and win the game, of course we do.

“Last time round to win by that 5-0 margin was a bonus, we would take any scoreline as long as we win the game this time.

“It was definitely closer in the second game at Cappielow, and I think they’ve got better even since the last time we played them. Defensively as well I think they’ve been better.

“They’ve actually been on a wee bit of a run themselves so we need to try and win the game with a good performance.”

Ayr United played host to Morton last weekend, in what turned out to be one of the club’s most fruitful visits to Somerset in recent years. 

Russell believes their emphatic 4-1 win can boost confidence going into another tricky away day.

Asked if last weekend’s result was the perfect preparation, Russell replied: “Yeah, I would say so. 

“The first half hour or so was pretty pivotal. We’ve got the three-goal lead and from then on in they got one back. 

“But after we got the fourth goal in the second half I think we looked again like our usual selves and comfortable in the game. 

“We were just glad to get the three points.”