UNDER-14s striker Alexander Easdale is excelling at Morton after swapping hours on the road with Aberdeen for life with his local club.

When consultant for club development Warren Hawke established the new Ton youth academy, a huge part of his focus was on providing an elite youth programme in Greenock.

The vision was that talented footballers in Inverclyde no longer had to leave the area to play with a top youth academy but could develop to the best of their ability with Morton.

And 14-year-old frontman Easdale has been the perfect example, electing to leave the Dons to pursue his promising career closer to home.

His dad, local businessman Sandy Easdale, who is also a director at Rangers, told the Tele: “Alexander was with Port Juniors from when he was five and then signed with Aberdeen at 10.

“The travelling was proving a problem, going up and down. They trained at Hamilton two nights a week and their home games were up in Aberdeen.

“He was there for two seasons but it came to the point that the training was going to three nights a week and that was far too much.

“It just so happened that Morton were starting their new academy. I explained to [head of Aberdeen’s Glasgow centre] Peter Weir that the travelling was proving hard.

“He understood and said to me: ‘We would love to keep Alexander but I can see where you are coming from. If you want to try somewhere else, I’m happy to let him do that.’ “So he left Aberdeen to join Morton. It was local, on our doorstep, and we thought at his age there was no point in going all over the place.

“There’s many a great player to have come out of Morton. Davie Hopkin, big Joe McLaughlin, who both went to Chelsea, Derek McInnes. There’s been quite a few.

“I’d love to see him going the distance and playing for the first-team at Morton, or any team that he wishes to play for.

“At the end of the day, it’s his dream to be a footballer and all I can do his support him wherever it may take him.

“You just hope for him to do his best in whatever he wants to do. At the end of the day it’s about how hard he wants to work.

“If he gives it 100 per cent, there’s a chance he could come through. If he doesn’t, as long as he enjoys it I’m happy — and at this moment in time I think he’s doing both.” Head of youth Derek Anderson is delighted to have Alexander on board and has been pleased with the progress he is making with Pat McIlvogue’s squad.

He added: “Young Zander is coming on well. He’s a regular starter and he’s chipping in with goals — he was our top goalscorer last year.

“He’s got a brilliant attitude and never misses a training session. You can see he’s really enjoying it here and he’s a joy to have about the place.” HIGHLIGHTS THE youth academy saw another young starlet receive an international call-up recently after John McLaren was named in the SFA’s South/West regional performance squad.

The Under-13s midfielder has been targeted by a host of clubs north and south of the border this term and spent two separate spells on trial with Aston Villa.

And like Under-14s striker Stephen Adam, 13-year-old McLaren’s progress has been noted by the SFA.

He will now participate in a series of training camps before attending Airdrie’s Excelsior Stadium for a final trial session from which the Scotland squad will be chosen.

THE Under-12s followed the first-team’s recent example by keeping back-to-back clean sheets in their last two fixtures.

After previously putting up the shutters against Ayr United, David Garrett’s side shut out St Johnstone last weekend to maintain their impressive defensive record.

Head coach Garrett said: “This was another good team performance but it took 20 minutes and some stern-yet-encouraging words to get fully going.

“David McGowan scored a wonderful overhead kick to open the scoring and we scored four more through O’Brien, Loudon, Coulter and McGowan, with his second.

“It was also pleasing to record our second clean sheet in a row, with solid defensive displays from Docherty, Stafford, Millar, Marner, and our two goalkeepers, Scott and McCarron.” UNDER-13s lead coach Callum Robb is delighted to announce the signing of defender Gavin Watt from Broomhill Boys’ Club.

The centre-half had been training with Robb’s group and was snapped up after impressing in those sessions.

He told the Tele: “We have signed a new player, Gavin Watt from Broomhill Boys’ Club.

“He is a left-sided centre-back who had been in training with us and impressed in the match away to Kilmarnock last month.

“Gavin has been playing with Broomhill for five years and is a huge credit to the club, not only in the way he plays the game but in terms of his attitude, which is excellent.

“He has settled in well with the boys, so we are delighted to sign him and help continue his development.” FIXTURES Saturday 12 April: Under-11s v Clyde (a) 1pm, Under-12s v Clyde (a) 12pm.

Sunday 13 April, Under-13s v Dumbarton (h) 2pm, Parklea, Under-14s v Dumbarton (a) 2pm, Under-15s v Dumbarton (h) 2pm, Parklea, Under-17s v Dumbarton (a) 2pm.

Tuesday 15 April: Reserves v Queen’s Park (h) 7.30pm, Cappielow.